About 550 kg of clothes were analyzed in the first ever study on fibers thrown into textile collection containers.

Developed by INTEXTER * of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)) and student Beatriz Rodríguez of ESEIAAT **, the study is included in the report Análisis de la recogida de la ropa usada en España (Analysis of the collection of used clothing in Spain)***.

Analyzing the composition of the textile products in the bins through an innovative methodology, the research shows that:

• 62% of the clothes contained in the bins are reusable and 37% are recyclable. The most common fiber is cotton, with 50% in recyclable clothing and 60% in reusable clothing. Polyester follows, with 30% in both types. Cotton and polyester account for approximately 80% of recyclable clothing and 88% of reusable clothing.
• Acrylic, polyamide, wool and rayon viscose represent a much lower percentage. In the case of acrylic fiber there is a notable difference between recyclable garments, which represent 12.4%, and reusable garments (3.1%). Acrylic fiber is commonly used in outdoor clothing which is more likely to deteriorate during use, so the reuse rate of these garments is lower than recyclable.

According to INTEXTER director Enric Carrera, “In light of the analysis, we can say that the recycling strategy of post-consumer textile waste should focus on recovering and reusing 80% of the predominant fibres, namely cotton and polyester”.

The study also includes an analysis of the fiber composition of 700 garments from some of the leading fashion brands.

T-shirts, sweaters, jeans, underwear, socks and shirts from Zara, H&M, C&A and Mango reveal that 66.8% of garments are made of mixed fibers, thus significantly limiting the recycling potential. Only 37.3% of the garments studied are made 100% with a single fiber.

The compositions analyzed are not entirely representative because depending on the season (winter/summer) they can vary considerably, the study is therefore to be considered indicative.

Regarding home textiles, 361 articles were analyzed.

Sheets, towels, tablecloths and curtains from Ikea, Zara Home, H&M Home, 10xDIEZ and Carrefour are mainly made with a single material (80%). The most common fibers are cotton, polyester, linen, viscose and lyocell, in that order. Sheets and towels are made primarily of 100% cotton, while tablecloths and curtains of 100% polyester, although binary blends of cotton and polyester or cotton and linen are also used.

UPC’s INTEXTER also carried out an extensive literature review of existing studies on how much CO2 is saved by reusing clothing.

According to the study, carried out with an accurate methodology, the estimate of CO2 savings by reusing 1 kg of clothes is higher than what the EU has outlined so far ****: one kilo of unwanted clothes is enough to avoid the production of 25 kg of CO2.

It doesn’t seem like it, but with small gestures such as recovering, modifying, repairing, donating or selling clothes that we no longer use we can help improve everyone’s quality of life! In the Upcycling section of the site you can read some articles on the subject.

*Terrassa Institute of Textile Research and Industrial Cooperation.

**Terrassa School of Industrial, Aerospace and Audiovisual Engineering.

***Made by the Cáritas cooperative Moda re- and the LAVOLA consultancy company.

****3.169 kg of CO2 saved for every kg of unwanted clothes.

Non si può affermare che l’industria della moda sia la seconda più inquinante del mondo.
Si può però dire che, osservando alcuni dati che la caratterizzano, sia una delle più inquinanti.
Abbiamo preparato una sintesi di alcuni degli impatti di questo settore.

Vuoi contribuire concretamente con una piccola azione a diminuire l’impatto ambientale? Scopri qui cosa possiamo fare insieme
https://dress-ecode.com/…/insieme-possiamo-risparmiare-360…/

English – Fashion: don’t say it is the second most polluting industry!

It cannot be said that the fashion industry is the second most polluting in the world. However, it can be said that, observing some of the data that characterize it, it is one of the most polluting. We have prepared a summary of some of the impacts of this sector.

Want to contribute concretely with a small action to decrease the environmental impact? Find out here what we can do together:

https://dress-ecode.com/…/insieme-possiamo-risparmiare-360…/

#SFSambassador

Spesso ci chiediamo cosa possiamo fare per contribuire a limitare l’impronta ambientale creata da ciò che viene prodotto e consumato. Magari ci siamo ritrovati a pensare che “tanto è inutile, anche se faccio qualcosa non cambia nulla”. Ecco un’idea che davvero farà la differenza:  se in 10.000 ci uniamo per non acquistare indumenti nuovi per 3 mesi, possiamo evitare la produzione di 360.000.000 litri di acqua e di 1.400.000 chili di emissioni di CO2. 

Abbiamo deciso di diventare ambasciatori dell’iniziativa di Slow Fashion Season perché crediamo che questa esperienza, che sarà divertente e interessante, possa portare un concreto risultato in termini di impatto ambientale!

Dal 21 giugno al 21 settembre invece di acquistare indumenti nuovi scopriremo altri modi di far fronte alle nostre necessità relative all’abbigliamento. Sarà divertente e interessante perché non ci priveremo di nulla, al contrario ci troveremo più ricchi (in tutti i sensi ).

Vi prepareremo una breve guida su come vivere questi tre mesi e saremo disponibili per tutto il periodo ad aiutarvi a trovare alternative all’acquisto del nuovo.

A Verona, il 25 maggio vi mostreremo come creare una maglia e un accessorio in pochi semplici passi utilizzando rimanenze di tessuto e come rimodernare magliette e camicie che altrimenti non indosseremo più (qui i dettagli Ecofashion: laboratorio con pranzo e stile). Vorremmo ripetere il laboratorio anche in altre città.

Slow Fashion Season è un’iniziativa creata da CollAction, la prima piattaforma crowdacting ufficiale al mondo. Crowdacting significa “agire collettivamente e condizionatamente allo scopo di ottenere un impatto positivo sul mondo e sui suoi abitanti”. Il concetto è molto simile al crowdfunding, ma le persone si impegnano a compiere azioni, invece di inviare denaro. Quando viene raggiunto l’obiettivo predeterminato di numero di persone, il gruppo agisce.

L’anno scorso Slow Fashion Season ha consentito il risparmio di 92.100.000 litri di acqua e di 375.400 kg di emissioni di CO2, quest’anno desideriamo fare di più!
”Vogliamo rendere le persone consapevoli che ci sono altre soluzioni – che un altro stile di vita, o un modo di consumare è possibile. E che fare la cosa giusta non deve essere noioso o doloroso, può essere divertente e creativo, soprattutto se supportato dalla nostra crescente comunità di CollActivisti. Possiamo aspettare per i governi, l’industria o altre persone per agire. Oppure possiamo dare un esempio con le nostre azioni, insieme“, spiega Ron van den Akker, co-fondatore e amministratore delegato di CollAction.

Per partecipare  www.slowfashionseason.org. Saremo con voi in questa avventura!

Se desideri collaborare all’iniziativa con la tua attività, per esempio se vendi usato o vintage, contattaci: contact_us@dressecode.it .

“Basta solo un piccolo gruppo di individui impegnati a cambiare il mondo” – Margaret Mead

#SFSambassador

English: Together we can save 360 million litres of water and 1.4 million kilos of CO2 emissions! Find out how

We often ask ourselves what we can do to help limit the environmental footprint created by what is produced and consumed. Maybe we found ourselves thinking that “in any case it’s useless, even if I do something it doesn’t change anything”. Here is an idea that will really make the difference: if 10,000 people join to not buy new clothes for 3 months, we can avoid the production of 360,000,000 litres of water and 1,400,000 kilos of CO2 emissions.

We have decided to become ambassadors of the Slow Fashion Season initiative because we believe that this experience, which will be fun and interesting, can bring a concrete result in terms of environmental impact!

From 21 June to 21 September, instead of buying new clothes, we will discover other ways to meet our clothing needs. It will be fun and interesting because we will not deprive ourselves of anything, on the contrary we will find ourselves richer (in every sense ).

We will prepare a brief guide on how to live these three months and we will be available throughout the period to help you find alternatives to new purchases.

In Verona, May 25th we will show you how to create a shirt and an accessory in just a few simple steps using fabric remnants, and how to modernise shirts and shirts that otherwise we won’t wear anymore (here the details Ecofashion: a workshop with lunch and style). We would also like to repeat the workshop in other cities.

Slow Fashion Season is an initiative created by CollAction, the first official crowdacting platform in the world. Crowdacting means: “taking action collectively and conditionally with the purpose of achieving positive impact on the world and its inhabitants”. The concept is very similar to crowdfunding, but people commit to actions, instead of money. When the predetermined target of number of people is reached, the group acts.

Last year Slow Fashion Season allowed the saving of 92.100.000 liters of water and 375.400 kg of CO2 emissions, this year we want to do more!

“We want to make people aware that there are other solutions – that another lifestyle, or way of consuming is possible. And that doing the right thing doesn’t have to be boring or painful – it can be fun and creative, especially when supported by our growing community of CollActivists. We can wait for governments, the industry, or other people to act. Or we can set an example with our actions, together”, says Ron van den Akker, co-founder and CEO of CollAction.

To participate www.slowfashionseason.org. We’ll be with you in this adventure!

If you wish to collaborate to the initiative through your activity, for example if you sell second-hand or vintage, write us: contact_us@dressecode.it

“It only takes a small group of committed individuals to change the world” – Margaret Mead

#SFSambassador