Between the end of Milan Fashion Week and the release of the second chapter of “The devil wears Prada“, fashion never abandons us. This is also proven by research into Ellen MacArthur Foundationwhich highlights how global clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2015.
To counteract this increase in production volumes, there is the other side of the coin: clothes stay in the wardrobe less and less long. The number of times a dress is worn is constantly decreasing (a drop of 36% according to global data), with a worsening trend especially after the pandemic.
A study ofThe European Environment Agency (EEA) shows how per capita textile consumption in the European Union increased from 17kg to 19kg between 2019 and 2022, with around 12kg — the equivalent of a full suitcase — thrown away every year. This market and consumption model, however, poses great difficulties for the recovery chain in Italy and on the continent. Limiting the unbridled consumption of garments, extending their life, is essential to combat waste and pollution, as also underlined Giancarlo Dezio, general director of Ecotessili: «The reduction of waste begins with an upstream intervention, that is, prolonging the useful life of clothing and footwear. Each additional use allows us to enhance the resources used to produce them and to contain the amount of waste to be managed.”
But how can we actually reduce our environmental footprint and ensure greater longevity for our wardrobe? Here are some practical tips:
- Choose quality and durability: try to prefer garments made with resistant materials, designed to last as long as possible.
- Pay attention to the composition: if a product has a mix of different synthetic fibres, its recycling becomes complicated and expensive, if not impossible.
- Careful maintenance: Take care of your garment by scrupulously following the washing instructions on the label to avoid premature wear of the fabrics.
- Repair before replacing: buttons, patches or zips are small interventions useful for prolonging the permanence of a dress in our wardrobe.
- Second-hand and gift: Buying used items or giving away items we no longer wear is an excellent way to extend the life of products and reduce the demand for new tailors.
- Responsible disposal: when a garment definitively reaches the end of its useful life, it is essential that it is sent to textile waste collection to encourage the recovery of materials.
Ultimately, the future of fashion is not only played out on the catwalks, but in our daily choices. Adopting virtuous and conscious behavior is the first step to transform a sector with a high environmental impact into an example of sustainability, where every piece of clothing recovered is a resource saved for the planet.
