Can we really recycle our old clothes?

Every year, nearly 100 billion items of clothing are produced - and 65% of them end up in a landfill within 12 months. New technologies in textile recycling may be able to curb that waste - while producing a host of sustainable materials.
#planeta #recycling #fastfashion #circulareconomy #textileindustry
We're destroying our environment at an alarming rate. But it doesn't need to be this way. Our new channel Planet A explores the shift towards an eco-friendly world - and challenges our ideas about what dealing with climate change means. We look at the big and the small: What we can do and how the system needs to change. Every Friday we'll take a truly global look at how to get us out of this mess.
Follow Planet A on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@dw_planeta?la...
Credits:
Report: Dave Braneck
Video Editor: Frederik Willmann
Supervising Editor: Michael Trobridge
Fact Check: Alexander Paquet
Thumbnail: Ém Chabridon
Read More:
McKinsey - Scaling Textile Recycling in Europe
www.mckinsey.com/industries/r...
NY Times - Will We Ever Be Able to Recycle Our Clothes Like an Aluminum Can?
www.nytimes.com/2022/11/30/st...
EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles environment.ec.europa.eu/stra...
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:46 Textile waste's global impact
02:47 How do you actually recycle clothes?
03:50 New approaches to textile recycling
07:41 What else needs solving?
11:41 Can we even recycle all the clothes we make?

[@DWPlanetA]

How many pieces of clothing are YOU buying every year? 👆

[@stickynorth]

A new T-shirt a year if I'm lucky... Sorry H&M, my buying habits alone would sink your petrochemical-based clothing empire!

[@butimo]

Overall target when buying clothes: wear it for at least over 30 times.

[@ronlevon4294]

depends, no new jeans this year, 2 new t-shirts +10-15 pairs of new socks. One of the big problems is a quality of a fast fashion, it degrades too fast, best example is socks , I never had a socks that lasted more that 5 washes

[@jennifersvitko5997]

I bought new jeans last year. These that I bought will last until they fall apart on me. Then they sit until I figure out what to do with them.

[@mckennakills72]

Does this include socks and underwear? is 1 sock 1 garment? I have a warehouse job walking 10 - 20 miles a day, I probably buy 6 new pairs every year at a minimum, am I at 12 already? I'm sure weight is probably a better measure here - 1 coat is not going to be the same as 1 sock. But 14 doesn't feel excessive. If I compare textiles to driving it's perfectly possible to cut driving miles from say an average of 10,000 to zero - textiles aren't as easy.

[@Dysprosio2]

We can, but we should buy less! ;) No tech is going to save us from overconsumption.

[@tedmoy]

have very little fashion sense. My family say that I dress like a "boring straight college guy." :( I rarely buy clothes for going out. I have bought some running shorts and pants for the gym a few years back.

[@dann5480]

I make my own clothes from animal hide and tree bark.

[@SonnyDarvishzadeh]

Some of my t-shirts are over 10 years old lol I rare discard anything. Clothes with holes and worn out ones usually end up being used only at home, unless having guests of course.

[@somerandomfella]

I have 5 of the same sports pants, 10 of the same sports shirts. Been wearing them for the last 5 years. I don't get judged for it and couldn't care less.

[@anandbhandari1005]

very well said

[@henaimtiyaz4189]

Dump waste in your own country rather than discarding and dumping it in poor countries.

[@cbpd89]

If rich countries had to handle all their own waste, they'd come up with better ways to manage it sooner.

[@greenartSTEM_1]

Yeah, I think people need to be more educated and less ignorant as well. Some simply think that by donating we are helping the world.

[@xxxcalle716]

We need to end fast fashion

[@shmataboro8634]

​@@xxxcalle716 asking recycling to "cure" the overconsumption problem is like asking the funeral home to cure a heart attack. By the time things get that far it is too late to cure. We need to Prevent Overconsumption.

[@keithhodgson6489]

@@xxxcalle716 Then get ready for massive job losses and subsequent worse poverty in counries with no social security.

[@kouhaiii3182]

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle recycling comes third. reduce the number of clothes bought first

[@user-dp6lz6zg4h]

Truth in a concise form 👊🏽

[@erlina021]

Truth. Agree.🍃

[@laurenrodriguez4983]

Capitalism would rather pretend to care about recycling

[@vicki3220]

Yes, and further: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, rot.

[@peacheskong2245]

Not reducing what people buy but what companies SELL. There's where the problem lays, companies know by know how much they should manufacture for 1 brand alone yet the produce way more than what they end up selling and then destroy what remains, they dump this in India and forbid the workers there to wear these clothes. They have to deconstruct these clothes to their threads and remake new 🧵🧵🧵 and it then gets reused to make high fashion clothing.

[@rosiewillenbring3446]

In a dump within a year? I'm still wearing clothes from high school...

[@poulhenne]

A lot of smart people buy a lot of new clothes every week. And you can only wear one set at a time.

[@a_l_e_k_sandra]

Mee too! And I am 37yo!

[@NaturesInfiniteWELLth-fo6rs]

I have towels as old as myself, if not older, lol. Some I got when I got married in 1985. I’m 60. I’ve grown up being a thrifter. Far prefer buying second (or more) hand. Have found my favourite pieces. My style and size have changed over the years so I don’t have anything so old.

[@shmataboro8634]

​@@NaturesInfiniteWELLth-fo6rs I was going to say Me Too..then I remembered I also inherited mom's towels. I've got towels still serving me well that I remember from when I was a toddler. At 67 I feel confident I'll never need to buy another towel in my life. When I retired I decided it was time to get off the hamster wheel of " 0:00 Earn-Buy-Dispose...repeat" it's been great fun seeing how Thrifty I can be and how well I can avoid becoming a 'consumer' again.

[@RisingNutrition]

Me too.

[@shelleyeatz]

Influencer culture is much to blame here. Influencers are constantly showing new things and people get tempted to buy everything the influencers show without knowing if the material is actually good or if the craftsmanship will actually hold up. And people replace things so fast because they’re shown exactly that by influencers. It’s terrible

[@vulcanfeline]

i wonder how many of those patreon perk or merch shop t-shirts last more than a couple of trips through the laundry

[@poulhenne]

Actually influencers are just one single type of marketing. We as consumers believe we are not susceptible to marketing, which is the greatest lie ever. Since marketing teamed up with psycology and have apps directly in our pocket at all times, we don't stand a chance in this fight.

[@VeeDee713]

People are still responsible for their own actions, influencers aren’t holding a gun to our heads.

[@ninii394]

Even if Craftsmenship doesn't hold for long time it's not a problem cuz trends are changing soo quickly

[@sheilaross1449]

I keep wondering, as a quilter, why nobody has started manufacturing batting out of waste textiles. I already use pilly old thrifted blankets and towels inside my quilts because that's more sustainable than buying more bags of new polyester batting. There's got to be a way to shred up waste fabric and either fluff it up into stuffing for pillows and toys, or hammer it into batting sheets for quilts. And yet the only eco option I can ever find is stuffing made from pop bottles.

[@nadajaklic3069]

I was thinking the same thing about batting, but it never occurred to me to use thrifted towels or blankets. I'll be just starting my quilting journey soon, so I'll def keep this in mind, though I had considered using old t-shirts. Thank you for the tip!

[@annatepper158]

Not sure if this would be the easiest thing to use for quilting, but there is an organization called FabScrap in the US that offers a down-cycled material called 'shoddy' on their website that's great for stuffing pillows, etc. Might be worth checking out. 👀

[@StrewthFroogals]

I could be wrong here, but it might be a hygiene issue. I often notice the tags on toys, pillows and the like will say that its stuffed with all new material. My guess is that shredded waste fabric from who-knows-where could contain some nasty stuff. Maybe its difficult to decontaminate and sterilize and since the history of used fabric is unknown, it would be a logistical nightmare to treat up to standard That said, its a great idea on the small-scale, and something I would personally do myself when my clothes eventually degrade enough for that

[@sheilaross1449]

@@StrewthFroogals I gather that's why it wouldn't be used in stuffed toys, but I wonder if that's a standard that needs to be reviewed.

[@nadajaklic3069]

@@StrewthFroogals that could very well be right, but you'd think they wash the fabric at some point, otherwise it couldn't be used in mattresses or insulation (imo ?). I wonder how to find out.

[@stickynorth]

I am a minimalist, so I only buy the same basic designs over and over again and only buy clothes as they need replacing... Which is every few years... The last time I spent over $100 on clothing was probably 5 years ago...

[@SeDonspeed]

Im just curios, what kind of shoes du you wear or are shoes not clothes?

[@DRDINOMEOW]

Been wearing the same clothes for about the same. Almost everyone of my shirts have holes and my shoes almost have holes. I usually spend a bit more on shoes cause it seems like I am always walking holes in cheap shoes in a year. Have had the same skate shoes for years.

[@TheGrifhinx]

​@@DRDINOMEOW no mending?

[@smoothride7841]

Talking abt holes, some of my socks w holes😊 I'm still holding on to it cs nowadays it's hard to get the same quality😂​@@DRDINOMEOW

[@raji2583]

Wish people can learn from you 😊

[@RonakDhakan]

14 clothes per year per person?! I buy maybe 1-2 in a year and wear till they tear. Then they are repurposed for home use and then for cleaning. Who is buying my share of 12-13 other clothes?

[@chickadeestevenson5440]

Fast Fashion junkies. I think I'm at 3-4 a year? Depending on what t-shirts I find. But I wear those until they fall to bits.

[@vulcanfeline]

:) i always think that way too when i hear various consumption stats. also, if there's 2 of us that think that way, who's buy our share of the 24-26 other clothes?

[@weird-guy]

from my anecdotal evidence is rich people with closets with never worn clothes,early to late 20s girls and moms with disposable income although social media men fashion influencer are also making men buying more clothes than before still nothing compared to women, every trend on the internet is usually popularized by women they are a easy target

[@poulhenne]

A lot of shop-a-holics buy at least 5 pieces of new clothes every week.

[@cbpd89]

I wonder if some of that average is skewed by children who grown out of their entire wardrobe basically every year and need to replace their entire wardrobe every 6-18 months.

[@Krishna-Govender]

Make wearing garbage fashionable like that scene from Zoolander. Fashionistas will wear anything with a fancy label on it. You can literally sell waste at a profit and reduce pollution simultaneously.

[@peglor]

The fashion industry would still find the most environmentally damaging way to make clothes look like they're made from garbage if there was even the tiniest bit of shareholder value to be squeezed out of it 😞.

[@brunadeoliveira4586]

I honestly think it would be better to invest in increasing the number of thrift stores and repair shops. Reusing comes before recycling (and is the most useful of the three Rs).

[@leysan7729]

Wait a Moment! Shopping has never been easier? Try to find clothing that isn't garbage already in the shop or after the first wash. Shopping has never been harder. It is almost easier to sew your own.

[@DWPlanetA]

Unfortunately, looking from this perspective you're probably right! 🌚

[@ilektrakaratasiou3352]

Agree, shopping for crap has never been easier. It should be banned and not allowed any advertisement.

[@selfraisingsugar898]

Yeah but the material you buy to sew with is just as bad unless you want to remortgage your house for material lol

[@celestehusband1685]

Companies are more about the sales and how much money they can get over the quality of a product.If the product was good then you wouldn’t need to buy it as often. I agree most items in the store are poor quality. It’s honestly sad

[@changtsyhyong3355]

As children, we only had one set of new clothes once a year. Nowadays when I need clothes, I just get them from a charity shop. We really need to keep clothing out of landfills as much as possible.

[@r.1599]

I buy at thrift shops so I can get 100% natural fibre clothes. Most clothing these days is made with some, if not all, polyester (plastic) which breaks down very quickly when used as clothing, sofas covers, etc. This is not the case with natural fibers.

[@stephandickens2943]

I’ve noticed that it’s much harder to find new clothing made with natural fibers nowadays and it’s also gotten a lot harder to impossible even find fabric/clothes made with a blend of cotton and polyester. A lot more stuff is just straight up 100% polyester now. Thrift shopping for clothes is always so fun and you can sometimes find so many good items! I have to disagree with you that polyester breaks down quickly when used as clothing. Polyester is very very durable. I have polyester clothes that I’ve had for many years now that have been washed thousands of times and are still perfectly usable. The same can’t be said for the clothing with only natural fibers (particularly cotton) because the natural fibers break down and wear out and start looking raggedy and ripping or losing its shape. A polycotton blend is the best of both worlds with the added durability and longevity of polyester and the breathability of cotton. The only minor and incontinent disadvantage is pilling which is an easy fix with a fabric shaver. Of the clothing that I’ve thrown away in the past it was overwhelmingly cotton clothing that had worn out and gotten ripped/torn and raggedy. Polyester is essentially eternal if properly cared for as it doesn’t really break down unlike natural fibers. Don’t get me wrong, cotton can be very durable and last many years with proper care. But it tends to degrade and break down after lots of usage/wash cycles especially since the cotton quality and thickness have gotten worse and thinner over the years in most cases. Different fabric materials are great for different use cases and it also depends on personal preference. An overwhelming amount of my clothing was used clothing either given to me or from thrift stores.

[@r.1599]

@@stephandickens2943 Any clothing I've had that is partially polyester develops pills and nubs within a few wears, while 100% cotton clothes do not. I had an Ikea couch cover for years that never thinned, never pilled, and I only got rid of it because it was white and it got stained. I replaced it with what was available at Ikea, grey, which was 50% polyester, and in a month it was covered with pills and looked awful. In the past I have also bought clothing that was 100% polyester, and it pilled with the first wearing. The trouble with a lot of modern natural fiber clothing these days is that it's made fast-fashion style, meaning the less expensive stuff is made from the shorter fibers. The fraying on clothes made from this isn't so much from the fibers breaking (although poorly spun fibers will tend to break because the threads have excessively thin spots) as from the little gaps between all the ends of those shorter fibers. That's why expensive sheets will advertise their long staple and extra-long staple fibers. Long fibers mean a stronger fabric, no matter what natural fiber it is made from. So the older the second hand cotton clothing one buys, the better the chance that it's made from a quality spun, long fiber that will last another 20 years.

[@regs3941]

I'm generally not a fan of polyester clothing, but it needs to be said: polyester comes in different qualities too. A piece of clothing made from polyester can last very long, it depends on the quality of the fibre. On the other hand natural fibres can be of poor quality and therefor break down quickly. We see the latter often today. A cotton t-shirt from a fast fashion brand usually contains shorter fibres and will wear out and get holes quickly ...

[@r.1599]

@@regs3941 Quality over quantity, in all cases. I recall I had a top made of nylon that used to belong to my grandmother Looked as good as the day it was made 50 years earlier. Still didn't breathe, though, and made the skin sweat.

[@smoothride7841]

​​@@stephandickens2943💯 w you -- I found lots of gd stuff (almost new & some totally new) in thrift shop😊 l go for linen & silk. Polyester is gd for travelling, so I escape fr my ironing jo😂b

[@hughesflo]

Am I the only one that does NOT like to buy new clothes? I only buy (clothes) second-hand personally. it's not so much from an environmental standpoint, but mostly 50 economic and 50 fashion, because oftentimes we did better before.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

I haven't bought anything new in YEARS. Maybe a decade, possibly.

[@er...]

I grew into my baggy 90s clothes, so I still wear 20+ year old stuff. Some became popular during the vintage craze so they fetched good prices online. Only need socks and undies.

[@brendalauts8473]

No, I hate shopping. I have the same clothes I've had for over a decade. Some clothes I have had since 1996, when I was 14. My body hasn't changed much except I have more muscle cause I have to exercise daily for my mental health. ETA: except sports bras, underwear, and socks. But I learned to sew and have been fixing those.

[@arianavalois5872]

Same, im 31 now, ive never buy new clothes, only thrift..😊

[@zabmcauley5647]

I don't like buying new clothes. I'd rather thrift, but with my chemical sensitivities used clothing is often contaminated with fragrance from detergent and fabric softener. Sometimes i can get lucky, othertimes i think it's fragrance safe and 10 rounds through vinegar soaks, washing and heat and it's still not safe for me to wear.

[@franceswilliams2421]

Hello, surprised there was no mention of Prato, the Italian town which has specialised in garment recycling for decades if not longer, producing high quality textiles in wool, cotton, linen etc. easy to think that we need technology to solve part of the problem, yet this one town has been using the same techniques successfully for a really long time. Follow up report?

[@DWPlanetA]

At least a hundred years! Thanks for bringing up Prato - they really are pioneers in this. 🌸

[@soraiya2065]

Most new clothes are made of polyester or other synthetic material...some type or plastic is in the mix, which is why they dont last, like old school clothes. They lose their shape and go saggy, even if u dont wear them.

[@vicki3220]

I think nowadays Prato is better known for Chinese run companies that produce low quality clothing, don’t follow the rules and then close after couple of years and disappear so they cannot be caught. Learned this from an Italian KZbinr.

[@jamainekaessler4453]

Thank you , these documentaries are so necesary to become concious in the first place. Everyone of us is responsable for items we buy in any moment, textiles , food, furniture etc. We can start now and really think where It lands one day It is not used anymore.

[@PLuMUK54]

I agree about having no fashion sense. I don't care what's in or what's out. I retired 13 years ago and am still wearing shirts that I wore for work. I've got a few items in my drawers that are 25-30 years old, but still wearable. Actually, since I bought some items, they have come into fashion twice more! When I do replace, these days it's a red tshirt or black sweat pants that gets bought. I keep them for years, down grade them when worn, eventually use as cleaning clothes. I throw away as a last resort. I just don't see the point of fashion, and as for fast fashion, well, I think that it is rather silly.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

I care a lot about fashion, but my wardrobe includes high-quality items from 40 years ago that I still love and wear.

[@querque3860]

Regarding that last question, it isn't an either/or situation. It is a both/and situation. Reduce consumption, and repair, and reuse, and recreate, and reuse, and redistribute responsibly, and recycle when necessary. Most important: make fashion personal. Don't be a pawn of the industry. If you have clothes you love, wear them for 30 years, with pride!

[@wensdyy6466]

As a someone working in a fashion industry (robes for judges, softshell clothes but most importantly carneval costumes-we would love for people to not buy them for us but borow them for a small fee and we are trying to change the busness modell for it so we can offer wide range of quality costumes for hire rather than cheap syntetic costumes that people buy (for 3-5 tomes more money than they can rent it for a week) that they wear once for carnewal and thwor out afterwards (especially our costumers in Germany do that because we as a Czech suplier have to stay competetive with cheep costumes from Asia)

[@DWPlanetA]

Hiring is such a good alternative when it comes to other than the every day essentials!

[@echognomecal6742]

There's a free store in my town & they get so many clothing donations that they can't keep nearly all of it. I know they have a deal with some company that takes it, but Idk the details. As a crafter, I want to take some of it off their hands but I need more ideas & time to implement them. Anything I sell has some proceeds go to them. I haven't bought any new clothes in years, actually. The newest clothing I have is the leg warmers I made from the arms of a worn sweater the free store got in. Very helpful in a chilly home!

[@cavelleardiel]

I have been buying from thrift stores for almost 30 years. I rarely buy new.

[@nemanjaivanovic5973]

Textile industry, just like every other industry can easily improve by just introducing legislation for them to fully cover all externalized costs (the environmental and labor costs for the full lifecycle of the product).

[@MD-st4wi]

Before recycling, there is reusing as long as possible, then upcycle, then recycle.

[@sv3216]

Aside from the occasional (maybe one every 2 years) buying of undergarments, I only go to thrift stores. Salvation Army, Good Will etc. They do have their own problems with labor laws but at least I feel I have removed myself from this cycle of consumption.

[@mattiepw4571]

Best way to stop waste is stop buying buy less!

[@K.M.I]

This question has been bothering me since childhood, because when we lived, we accumulated simply huge volumes of clothes and various kinds of materials related to this, and the only thing that was not recycled in principle, only reuse, burning and that's it. Having delved into the possibilities of solving this issue from the point of view of chemical technology, the difficulties became clear. Today, I think that in the long term, we need to increase the share of biodegradable clothing, this is the only chance for change, and in the medium term, it is the deepening of chemical, biochemical processing of clothing from synthetic materials.

[@GKP999]

My parents taught me to buy what I need, not what I want. I only replace something when it is worn or torn. It saves the planet and my money.

[@maszlagma]

This is infuriating, we have now reached a point where we have the technology to slow and even halt global warming, but we need legislation and investment to catch up where we can utilise this technology properly. Businesses for profit will not have a change of heart and help with this on their own.

[@DWPlanetA]

Hey there! Glad you liked our video! These two might be interesting to you too: 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmGxeoSdhqqSmpYfeature=shared 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2XOnmN5qNGWpskfeature=shared And subscribe to our channel, we post video every Friday ✨

[@poIinapaley]

Thank you for the video 🙏 I am also on my way to zero fashion sense, minimalism and low waste. I get inspired when I watch videos like this as I feel that I am not alone on this way😊

[@DWPlanetA]

Thank you and good luck with those goals! 🌸 You can also subscribe to our channel so you won't be missing any of the new videos. 🌱

[@ilektrakaratasiou3352]

I have resewn and added new waitsbands in 20 of my partner's underwear. 2 years now they still hold on and if need be I will repair them again. Saved not just 20 but 40!!! 20 from landfil and further 20 from buying new ones. Plus the money spent for new ones. I probably bought all the fabric I needed for the cost of one pair of undies!!!

[@ilektrakaratasiou3352]

If you wonder does he need that many? yes!! He goes away often where there aren't wash facilities and needs to have enough to go around.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

I buy only 100% natural-fiber clothing. Not only can these be recycled or biodegrade at the end of their wearable life, more importantly, first they will be chosen for secondhand wear when donated or sold. Recycling synthetics for other uses, like patio fabrics, awnings, etc., is good, but I can’t buy clothes made of this or any other plastic, recycled or new. The most sustainable practices are: buy only natural fibers, which have intrinsic value; minimize washing/don’t tumble-dry; and wear what you have, if you won’t, then pass it on to someone who will. Most people don’t realize that just 1-4% of a synthetic/plastic fiber, whether Spandex, nylon, etc., will make the fabric non-recyclable. The only exception might be wool fibers used to make home insulation, as we use here in California. A small percentage of synthetic fiber might be allowed in that, but I don’t know for sure.

[@abyss6484]

that's a good point! I do want to point out that cotton has a hugee environmental footprint as well unfortunately. the industry spent a bunch of money on an advertising campaign a decade or two ago to distract consumers from it! that's why imo a huge thing is reducing consumption and buying second-hand, bc those clothes are already made and therefore buying them doesn't contribute to demand for more cotton production (or any other materials. basically all fibers have their pros and cons)

[@DuchessOfWales]

❤Thank you for showing the fibre separation process...important stepping stone on THE PATH TO NO EXCUSES. Bravo once again 👍👍

[@e.v.k.3632]

If everyone would be like me we wouldn't have that problem. I buy only new clothes when my old ones are broken and i even wear second hand. Clothes that doesn't fit me anymore i give to anyone who wants it for free.

[@angelab9819]

Influencers on utube don't help. Need more influncers showing this side of fashion. Also the fashion industry likes to make billions of dollars every year marketing to consumers. Having good quality staple pieces that wont date and wont go out of fashion due to trends will save you money and you can wear year after year. Not to mention save the environment if everyone did this. I was going to discard an old denim jacket but have just upcycled it as a hobby. I absolutely love it! With an embroided patch on the back with ribbon trims it looks like a designer jacket and i did it myself!

[@conanclarke9308]

Farmers get a lot of blame for its high carbon footprint. But most farmers wear worn clothes for farming in my area

[@poulhenne]

Noone blames the farmers personally. It is the crops and chemicals they are destroying the earth with.

[@lunayen]

Those two things aren't relevant so I don't know why you brought it up. Farmer wear loose fitting or old clothing when they're working. That doesn't mean that they wear the same clothes when doing everything else.

[@mattpearson9905]

It’s a shame that the companies that promised to buy renewcells products stepped back.

[@poulhenne]

If you look closely there was an "SCA" logo on the factory. They probably tried to produce an alternative way of making cellulose for their products. The paperfactory is also looking for some greenwashing. Notice how the sheets looked exactly like the dry pulp from papermills. Some obstacle made the reused cellulose not be profitable enough for the SCA-company.

[@mjferroni]

Renewcell ( one of the companies you mention as exciting new ways to recycle) just went bankrupt last month because they underestimated how many companies would be willing to buy the recycled and still lesser quality fibers they produced. Because the thing is… chemistry is not magic and even if you are not chopping up a piece of fabric ( which btw you still have to for chem recycling) the chemical treatment required to discolor it and respin it, still break it down partially. So it’s still less strong and you just put it through a costly production step. This is a result of the 2nd rule of thermodynamics, and it is not something that can be overcome by technology, this is a fundamental phycical characteristic of all matter in this universe. So the only thing that can be overcome it the psychological expectation we have for recycling and the value we place on it as a practice

[@johnransom1146]

Only but underwear new. The rest including shoes and coats are used. I make t shirts into rag rugs. Dhurri carpets also use rags. Policy change to natural fibre only would help. An entire year where no new clothes are made or sold to use up the glut of clothes would help. Never gonna happen but it’s like a fishery. Sometimes they close for the long term health of the fish stocks.

[@EcomCarl]

It's encouraging to see innovative technologies like BlockTexx and Re-Fresh Global leading the charge in textile recycling. This shift not only promises significant environmental benefits but also offers a sustainable pathway for industries reliant on synthetic fibers. 🌿

[@theownmages]

Imagine if each peace of clothing had a tagg. Now imagine if you had to pay 3 euros of that tagg, this was required by law. Now imagine if when your done with the clothes, you would simply hand in those clothes to the store, and get your 3-euros back. Leaving the store obligated to take care of the recycling, and not the consumer. This would even spring new life in local stores, as sending in a package with your old clothes sound like too much effort for the regular consumer.

[@DIY_1]

I think that’s what the issue is here that these BIG retailers and the manufacturers does not want to take this responsibility. And on top it, these companies are the one lobbying the governments.

[@weird-guy]

You know that a lot of brands nowadays give you store credit if you give them your old clothes for recycling?? you know what recycling for them means? send it to third world countries🤣

[@MK-rt2gm]

The blame comes from a big part of us the consumer. If we stopped buying so many clothes and wore them longer the manufacturers would produce less. People are the main problem with all pollution wanting something new all the time and never being satisfied with what we have.

[@om-nj2hw]

I disagree, the brand is the one making the money, and paying influencers to promote product consumption.

[@ildikof9730]

Exactly!

[@venpeddapalli7189]

Very true! Its like blaming food corporations for producing ultra processed food. Don't buy it, they wouldn't make it.

[@abyss6484]

imo the only reason people feel compelled to buy so many is bc we feel unfulfilled in other ways and bc media and advertisements convince us that fashion trends (which have changed faster and faster recently, which is what fast fashion is) are important and that we *need* to buy xyz bc it's the hot new thing and it'll make you happy overconsumption has been baked into our culture to become the norm and we're force-fed it through billboards and other advertisements. ofc it's good to each do our own part but people don't act this way for no reason--it's encouraged and normalized by the industry and they try to greenwash and hide the harm that they do

[@wendycardinal4919]

It’s everyone that needs to participate to make a difference..do our best to make a contribution..

[@suzannakoizumi8605]

Yes, it is me who has bought all those clothes! I am transitioning to retirement and will be on a limited income in the future. I need a casual wardrobe with just a few dress up items. I usually buy clothes online and infrequently shop in the thrift store. I am going through my closet now to see what I can bring to Salvation Army.

[@nadajaklic3069]

We, the consumer base, actually have the power to force manufacturers to make changes just by not buying clothes. I would bet that nearly every adult has a complete wardrobe large enough to not buy any clothing, new or used, for at least 3 years. I'd love to hear from anybody, whether you agree with this, have have a useful criticism or an alternate perspective of my idea.

[@poulhenne]

We are up against marketing, it is a battle we cannot win. They will greenwash their stuff and people actually think they are heling the planet when buying the marketed stuff. The brainwashing is intense.

[@ilektrakaratasiou3352]

Do you know that 5yrs ago we had enough kids clothing on the planet for the NEXT 6 GENERATIONS? NOT 6 years but 6 Generations. Have we stopped producing more ? Not a bit?

[@nadajaklic3069]

@@ilektrakaratasiou3352 i believe it and it makes my brain hurt..

[@mjferroni]

What we need to shift to is a mindset that cheaper clothes are made from recycled fibers and will last a short amount of time. For that to work, the tech has to be widely addopted and get cheap, and virgin fibre made materials will rise in price and psychological value. The production volume also needs to come down…. But then governments need to be ready to buy out companies who invested in textile equipment and have shut down without having reached their net zero or promised profits.

[@TheJphrubant]

The only solution is to buy less. If you need something new, see if a friend or family member has an item to gift or to swap. If that doesnt work try charity and second hand shops. Then only we should consider buying new. Feels like a lot in a fast fashion world but we all need to make an effort in order to make a change

[@DWPlanetA]

Did you already see our video on degrowth? 🌱 Check it out here 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWOVnn6blLR_qck and let us know what you think in the comments. 🌸

[@danielnikolov2860]

Well done on the in-depth yet digestible reporting! More content like this!

[@DWPlanetA]

Thanks! Happy to hear you liked our reporting.🌻 If you subscribe to our channel you will receive more videos like this every Friday! 🙌

[@bhuvnas]

Ban online sale of Clothing. Only retail. It may reduce purchase. But it is not likely

[@peglor]

Regulate online sale of clothing - plenty of people hate the in person retail experience, especially the one that comes with clothes shopping, enough to never want to be forced to endure it again.

[@nonkonform1st]

I think not the change of the outer world is important, but our mindset. People should be educated and made them understand the consequences. If people are not educated than it doesnt matter if it is an online store or retail... they overconsume.

[@peglor]

If individual socks and underwear are included in that count, the 14 items per year per person might be almost reasonable, but otherwise there must be someone buying twice that to compensate for me. Particularly with pants I use them till I've just about worn through them. The odd time the stitching goes before the material, but a needle and thread are stupidly cheap compared to the time, money and effort of finding and buying new clothes - plenty of guides on sewing on youtube for anyone who wants to skip the awkward steps of teaching themselves too. Despite the clothing/fashion industry's complete refusal to recycle, a surprising number of shirts and pants still come with spare buttons sewn inside them to allow missing buttons to be replaced.

[@m.e.345]

What a shame.. I have been looking for my size of 'Circular' jeans on the Levis website, but they never seem to have '36' in stock.

[@heatherburch7697]

Have you tried eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, etc.?

[@samuelwilson753]

Hiut, blackhorse Lane and patagonia better brands

[@Christiez1985]

I have got into the practice of donating my clothes to fast-fashion brands for recycling and donation programs and I get vouchers. I also make sure to take good care of my clothes, that is, I don't unnecessarily wash them in high temperatures, I hand wash if a garment is not too dirty or if I suspect that it will be ruined in the washing machine and I only buy diachronic designs and shapes. The oldest fast-fashion garments that I have are two long-sleeved Primark tops, bought in 2009, both of me cost me £2.

[@nebot777]

I like to give for recycling my old clothes. I also bring things I don’t use anymore to charity-shops and special boxes in some trading molls. Some clothes and small things the people who rented a room in our apartment and one of my relative in law have stolen, so I prefer to take it like a charity too. Recycling can be a good thing, if people do it by their own will.

[@nancyh.5950]

When I have time, I will take an old garment and try to make something else out of it when I'm done wearing it as it was made. For example, cropping a top and cutting and resewing it with short sleeves; or making shorts out of pants; or making a patchwork of denim pieces into a denim blanket to take to the beach since sand doesn't stick to it; or making a top and a skirt from an old dress.

[@arifkhan3946]

Germany can burn those unuseable cloth to produce heat and can use to hit water

[@briane4753]

Which immediately returns the CO2 to the atmosphere as opposed to burying it and locking it away for hundreds if not thousands of years.

[@poulhenne]

Burning textiles coloured with toxic heavy metals seems not too intelligent. Bringing those chemicals in the air is pretty bad. Not to mention the extremely wasteful production of cotton and polyester. You can buen anything for heat, but it just not going to be a solution. Just as bad as the idiots making roadsurfaces of plastic just to get rid of it. Wonder where the particles worn of the roads go? Downcycling in really bad ways are almost always the capitalists first idea to get rid of waste, since it is the second cheapest (landfill is the cheapest way).

[@MicaFarrierRheayan]

I like that they broken down to smalllest particle and even use it for constructions. I think that this is ingenious. It is not necessarily use for fashion per se, but more to diversity. We still need building, road safety products and computer casing or even table to curtain or airoplane chair thus this is an ultimate solution. This is definitely would be giving promising result if it is being executed properly.

[@prashantvishwakarma295]

That's brilliant entrepreneur idea that must change the thinking of whole world and adopt this concept... The big impact directly dedicated to climate change... 👏👏👏

[@DWPlanetA]

Glad you liked our video! These videos might be interesting to you too: 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmGxeoSdhqqSmpYfeature=shared 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2XOnmN5qNGWpskfeature=shared And subscribe to our channel, we post video every Friday 😉

[@prashantvishwakarma295]

@@DWPlanetA already did,🙂

[@mjferroni]

When you dye your hair 5 times in a row, you don’t expect it to become healthier right… but you do expect it to look different… and you accept the damage you cause willingly to achieve a specific look. Chemical recycling is the same… except no one seems to be willing to pay for a hairdye that makes their hair look like it originally did, but more damaged.

[@maryjeffries9251]

I've recently lost 40 pounds and need to purchase all new clothes because nothing fits me any longer. It's been eye-opening to me when I started researching this whole thing. I've always loved buying secondhand because the idea of paying full price seems silly but now I see how important it can be to overconsumption. There are so many ways to find quality clothes that we can wear for a very long time from someone who paid full price first and only kept the garment for a short time.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

I also needed a whole new wardrobe after losing 50 lbs. over the last 5-10 years. I had already altered every item I could, but there’s a limit to how much can be done, and I don’t have to ability to cut down and remake an entire garment. I bought most of my new wardrobe last autumn, but only bought classic, and I hope, timeless, styles in 100% natural-fibers. With the addition of some warm weather items I just ordered (weren’t available until now), this wardrobe should last for the rest of my life. Yes, it was expensive, natural fiber clothing costs about 3-4 times the price of synthetic ones. I minimize laundering except for underwear and under-layers, like the silk knit tees I wear under wool or cashmere sweaters. I never put any of my clothes in the dryer, unless it’s a cotton one I want to shrink after receiving it, then, just once is enough. I haven’t had any luck with secondhand shopping.🙂

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

Buy linen, it grows without irrigation and generally needs no fertilizers or pesticides, but look for organic.

[@nikolaynikolov8047]

It’s literally not only corporations and their greed, but also the consumers. When I worked at Zara, many customers were complaining or didn’t buy an item only because it had a small stain(which can be washed) or because it had a really small defect which can be fixed if you just take a needle. It’s insane how such things are produced and end up in the landfills/oceans because of people seeking for perfection in everything.

[@regs3941]

I don't think it's greed ... But why should anyone pay full-price for a product with deficit to a billion dollar corporation? I wouldn't (and I'd say, that I'm a quiet conscious consumer). It'd be different buying from a store, that actually has some good virtues.

[@petermayer4802]

It depends mainly on us, as consumers, I would say and how we let the fashion company, celebrities influence us. I am not influencable by those who want to make profit out of it, bacause I just fix my ripped garments and I don´t care about fashion in anyhow. What we look like doesn`t devines us, it`s how we act.

[@josefinematildehansenvonki2384]

What I'm most surpriced of, is the fact that the average person care so less of the things they buy. Throughing away new clothing after a year?! I have clothing I still wear there is older then 35 years!!!! And I haven't bought single new piece of clothing in over 15 years! And still I get "new" clothing all the time. How, you may ask? Ask friends and family, neighbors or create exchanging events. Bring what you don't want anymore and take what you want for free! And what is left after the event ends, give it to charity. Such kinds of events can bring locals communities together!❤❤❤

[@madebymarian]

I buy almost all of my clothes second hand, but I also like to make my own clothing and I find that recycled fabric is quite hard to find... anyone here has tips on that?

[@tasia2174]

Maybe try deadstock fabric instead?

[@sheilaross1449]

I buy fabric from thrift stores, and am not above making garments from old bedsheets and tablecloths. There is a vibrant community of sewists who are passionate about upcycling old textiles into useful things. That's another route you could consider.

[@catherineleslie-faye4302]

You might want to look for a costuming or sewing group near you... folks in those groups often have stashes of fabrics & notions that they bought years ago and never used... destashing is a thing and it' how I get more then half of the fabrics I use for costuming.

[@alicearmen5601]

There are fabric thrift stores popping up all over in the US. You can order fabric online. See Swanson’s Fabric in Turners Falls, MA or Paper City Fabric in Holyoke, MA. Im sure there are many others. It’s a movement. I’m sewing my own clothes with thrift store fabric and loving it!

[@annatepper158]

I would also recommend FabScrap in the US. They collect excess fabric and notions from fashion retailers in New York and Philly and resell it in their stores in both those cities, as well as online.

[@susannefri6862]

^Very good, informative video. I'm most annoyed by Jeans that have holes in them after a year, mainly between the legs. I mend them, which makes the last another half a year or so. after that I cut them up and make doormats and the like. But we still have far too many. I wish they would last longer, but that would probably ruin the livelihood for many poor people who sew our clothes in Bangladesh and other Asian countries. Still, production just can't go on at this rate.

[@A3Kr0n]

We'll be repairing our clothes soon and quilt shirts will be the new normal. I wear my clothes for a long time. Right now I'm wearing my "Randy Rainbow for President 2020" t-shirt and it's my newest shirt.

[@michelestellar7725]

What is it that people do not understand, producers don't pay taxes, they collect them. The buyers/users of products pay those fines, fees and taxes, they are built into the price.

[@user-vj4sn1hk3n]

If more of this recycle became worldwide activity especially in Thailand where I am then I can feel better buying new clothes for sure.

[@Liquidi_colors]

Yes, old clothes can be upcycled by weaving into a new fabric. Been using this to my past projwct for staff uniform by infusing upcycled fabric to thier uniforms.

[@chart461]

I have no fashion sense either, but I will recycle reuse and mend what I can. Without buying new until it’s necessary. It also saves money in the long run.

[@gingerredshoes]

The textile industry has led innovation and the economy for centuries. I see these new forms of recycling as a first step on the qay to matter replicators, Star Trek style. And that's when a lot of society's problems get solved. 🤓

[@toby________toby]

I would LOVE for companies to be taxed or fined for finished clothing that goes to waste. It doesn't solve the whole issue of course, but they should be punished for their careless overproduction

[@butimo]

Very sad to hear. When big tech ideas are implemented, they often take years, if not decades, to become profitable. If any. Things that we really need can only be done with regulation. Unfortunately it is and remains that way. As long as long-term profit is paramount, little will change.

[@amcreative3784]

Most of mine came from an op shop although I found myself buying new these past couple of year. Even though my sewing isn't that great I am trying to reconfigure what I have into new, original pieces. I think the best piece i have is a shaggy cardigan that is probably made from recycled material that is the warmest thing I have. I did notice that one year they had clothes, pants that were way too long one year, and way to short another year. Do you think they are trying to get a message out there. There was a funny episode by the Mighty Boosh that addresses the issue in the naughty's (oo's)

[@SirusStarTV]

Those companies produce brand clothes like it's neccesity like food

[@Angea-mina]

I liked the original Crow and this one looks like a stylish bloody modern adaptation. I like what I see.

[@romikim4548]

Thanks for good contents. Recycling clothes is important.

[@lindasands1433]

Good luck! I always buy second hand and make rags out of old T shirts

[@cheyennecolin5546]

In an ideal world clothes can be recycled and reused, but in this realistic one, even with thrift stores & the like, all clothes that end up not being sold or used get shredded/dumped/ burned someplace. Yes we should all consume less or “make our own clothes” (who has time for that when most of us have jobs, kids, responsibilities, etc?) but even then, whatever doesn’t fit us anymore or has been sitting on depop for far too long winds up in the same place to pollute regardless. Ethical clothing brands exist where their items are made from recycled items or can be compostable, but to shop at said places is a luxury that usually involves spending a large amount of money for all but 3 items, while the rest of your wardrobe falls short. For every person that chooses to consume less are 10 people who will continue to live life as an average consumer. I agree there should be less waste for a cleaner environment & less pollution in poor countries, but I find this topic always tends to be more of a WESTERN heavy issue with influencers being the main villian of the topic, when “consumers buying cheap products made by migrant labor at the demand of greedy corporations” is more global. Think about folks in impoverished countries where cheap clothing is all they can afford & is dumped when they’re no longer needed or have worn out their use. Do THEY get this same lecture? In short, I love this topic about ethical consumption in fashion, it’s a topic that has more nuance & requires deeper discussion than , for example, “SHEIN bad thrift good” but I hate how it’s always reduced to a Western issue, more importantly blaming & guilting the individual western consumers for being able to afford products that were made unethically from greedy corporations, who are the real villains & root of the issue. Until then this discussion will continue to circle the drain bringing out self-righteous children and wealthy people who think ethical fashion/lifestyle/consumption is easy and possible under capitalism, and nothing will get solved.

[@danschoenharl3856]

I "got on board" with recycling 30 years ago. But industry has not. Just another bad decision in a long series of poor choices geared toward short term profit, with no concern for the consequences for future generations. We need to "recycle" the corporations. There has got to be something better hidden within all that mess.

[@akashaofthenile6077]

it is my experience that over the last decade, clothes are so cheaply made, some made with plastics, that just don't last. I've seen some with holes after 1 wash. Manufactures should be held liable for such cheap products, forcing people to buy more because they go in the bin. Discouraged with this, I've returned to old clothes, either because I kept it, or go to a 2nd hand shop, to buy old styled good cottons.

[@PersonalIzzy]

😮 well to honestly answer the question. Because an "endemic" now we look microscopicaly speaking no. Because in the particles of the fabric even after washing it might have bacteria. Not everything can be "recycled" once were honest with ourselves now we can move on. 🎉

[@michaeljames5936]

Thanks. Love this channel. It's not rocket-surgery, governments support these companies with cash and legislation, until they are a natural, logical step in the textile chain, and at enough scale to be profitable.

[@DWPlanetA]

Thanks for your comment and liking our channel. You should subscribe not to miss any of the upcoming ones! 🌸

[@michaeljames5936]

@@DWPlanetA Ok then. I do watch quite a few, so if it helps with the Algorithm.

[@PaulVegan]

Cool T-shirt dude!

[@RobPollen]

i dont like buying new clothes i wear mine till they fall part and then some

[@Chatintime]

it's both to the customers and the industry to be more reasonable. The industry is pretty easy to control with regulations but it has to be on a global scale. The customer needs to be educated from a very young age and from luxury fashion/influencers too .that can be done, but it needs some efforts, from all of us !

[@juliatarrel1674]

I have a planned wardrobe: if I do one load of laundry a week, I need so many casual tops, so many work tops, etc. I also need one set of fancy clothes to wear for happy events, and something to change it into something suitable for a funeral. It works for me.

[@francisravenscroft-dw6gi]

I put my clothes in a nice box at the end of each season and put the lid on. The next year I open the box- just like having new clothes ! And I know I will like them and that they ll fit. Don’t wear fashion- were clothing !

[@AA-wc3tw]

Most of the items I own are used. I'm picky about what I buy, and I'm frugal, and I don't want a home cluttered with stuff. That cuts down on my spending. Plus, why spend $3000 for a brand new leather sofa when you can spend $400 for a used one, like I did? Why spend $40,000 for a brand new car when you can spend 75% less on a used car, pay off the reasonable loan, and repair/drive it until it's no longer driveable....while all those years without a car loan, you put that loan payment into a savings account for your next car? Even better, make MPG your priority when shopping for a car. Because gas costs money, too. Why spend $55-$150 for a brand new pair of jeans when you can spend $7 for gently-used jeans at Goodwill? Then, wash your clothes less often so that they last longer--if our clothing is not visibly dirty and smelly, then they don't need to be washed with each wearing. Buy used, quality shoes on ebay for a fraction of brand new prices, and don't buy cheap shoes. Why spend $145 on a pair of brand new Birkenstocks when you can buy used for $40? Now is the time to hop on the Doc Marten trend: used boots are $40 on FB Marketplace, no need to pay $175 at DSW. I also don't have children, which is an immense cost savings.

[@michealwestfall8544]

It's easy, fine stores for throwing out unbought goods. The fine being the full price the good started at, so no discounting it to zero and saying the fine is zero. Then using the revenue from the fines subsidize recycling plants and their research. Or if you want something less extreme, they can't throw non-perishable goods for 5 years, and no you can't ship it back to warehouses.

[@DWPlanetA]

Hey there! France actually implemented a law that prohibits throwing away unsold goods. It applies to various goods, including clothing and is especially targeted at luxury brands. Companies face fines if they do not comply. Do you think that is a good measure?

[@emilyarchibald1900]

I buy most of my clothing used ❤

[@driftergrey]

I think recycling for use in products other than clothing is beneficial. I'd rather have clothing items made of new/virgin natural materials. However, If I were to wear anything made of recycled fibers, cotton is the only acceptable material that I'd consider.

[@hw7029]

Sadly the majority of clothing produced doesn’t even make it to the consumer (it’s dumped by manufacturers or retailers as is not sold)

[@catherineleslie-faye4302]

Have you got any links to fabrics or yarns that are made of 50% recycled fibers? Ifso then please put them in a comment. I am more then happy to buy fabrics and yarns with 50% recycled fibers in them... shoot I'd settle for 25% recycled fibers in my yarns.

[@naminders1172]

Is there any source through which I can learn to convert waste into useful materials

[@hrushikeshavachat900]

HTC (Hydrothermal Carbonization) can help in getting rid of textile till we find a economically viable manner for textile recycling.

[@bloodlove93]

does it mix with THC? i got that already haha

[@hrushikeshavachat900]

@@bloodlove93 THC?

[@poglavicabigfoot]

Prirodni materijali ne zagađuju: vuna se raspada a pamuk ako je čist bez dodatka sintetike može da gori kao i drvo. Problem su sintetički materijali, a njih je sve više naročito u zari h&m i sličnim prodajnim lancima.

[@lunainezdelamancha3368]

The reason people buy more and more things is to overcome the emptyness inside. STOP buying 💩! Buy only what you need.

[@Perpetual_Kid]

It’s more difficult to find biodegradable fabrics every day. Most things are made of polyester cus it’s cheap and consumers don’t pay attention. Large brands should have to invest in these companies… They’d do it if people demanded it

[@kamillaerdos7636]

Very simple the government must punish and stop those companies who produce artificial clothes! Many toys made of plastic as well.