We often think of ourselves as environmentally friendly. We reuse those plastic retail grocery bags, we recycle our plastic containers, we even donate our used clothing to secondhand clothing shops and charity clothing bags because we think we are making a difference. But what many of us are learning is that certain aspects of our environmentally friendly lifestyle aren’t as environmentally friendly as we previously thought. In fact, many well-intentioned environmentalists are learning that charity clothing bags and secondhand clothing shops aren’t what he imagine them to be and the clothing that we donate doesn’t always end up where we think it does.
Let me explain. While all of that might sound confusing, it isn’t as long as you understand the life cycle of used clothing. When you drop off your used clothing at the secondhand shop or at one of those charity clothing drives, you assume that it is going to go to someone who needs it, but can’t afford it. Unfortunately, you are only partially right. Let’s take a closer look at the life cycle of used clothing.
The painful reality of the used clothing industry is that there is simply too much clothing to process. Right now in the UK, almost 85% of unwanted used clothing ends up in landfills and it makes up a large percentage of the country’s waste stream.
When you drop off used clothing at a recycled clothing retailer or charitable organisation, they often pick through the clothing, finding what is needed and in good condition, and leaving the rest. This means items such as suits, party dresses and some seasonal clothing is rejected. There is nothing wrong with these items and there are many people who would WANT them, but these organisations are on a NEED basis and they look for clothing that is needed, shipping the rest of to landfills or overseas. So, while donating your old clothes does extend their lifespan somewhat, eventually they all end up in a landfill at some point during their life cycle.
What happens to the clothing that is shipped overseas? The items that are not needed or wearable, are often shredded and used as insulation or as stuffing in furniture. Some countries are even standing up against this industry practice, refusing used clothing shipments. This usually ends up in businesses refusing to trade with these countries until the used clothing bans are lifted.
So, is there a solution to all of the used clothing that doesn’t seem to find a good home? Companies such as 1step2be are taking the initiative to create a clothing monetisation method that helps get good used clothing into the hands of people that need it most and keeps it out of landfills longer.
To learn more about recycling your clothes using 1step2be’s innovative clothing monetisation process, contact 1step2be today!
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