The carbon footprint of getting dressed
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We focus on the three big things that affect climate change – energy, transport and food. But what about the bits people don’t necessarily think about, like the clothes you wear? Here's our look at the impact your everyday threads have on the environment.
What's the lifecycle carbon impact of your wardrobe?
From how they’re made to how they’re disposed of, every item of clothing produced has what’s called a lifecycle carbon impact. A lifecycle carbon impact is the potential amount of greenhouse gases released into the environment, from raw material extraction to the end of a product’s life (the ‘cradle to grave’ impact). This is measured in kilograms of CO2e (or carbon dioxide equivalent), a standard unit for measuring carbon footprints.
We looked at a simple get-up that anyone of us might wear to see what impact we’re dressing in:
It’s estimated that the carbon footprint of a typical pair of running shoes made of synthetic materials is 14kgCO2e
A pair of Levi 501 jeans will use 33.4kgCO2e
According to the Carbon Trust, the estimated carbon footprint of a pure cotton shirt over it's lifetime, is 15kgCO2e
A polyester jacket will use 18kgCO2e from cradle to grave
Underwear - even the smallest item has an impact of 1.9kgCO2e
To wear this simple combo, you’re looking at a total of 76kgCO2e – that’s almost the equivalent of driving from London to Paris!
How to reduce the carbon impact of your clothes
So, what can we do to reduce the carbon footprint of the clothes we wear? Here are a few tips:
Buy vintage and second-hand clothing.
When you’re buying new clothing, choose garments made from eco-friendly, natural fabrics such as bamboo, silk, organic cotton and hemp.
Invest in your clothes – it’s better in the long run to buy a good quality t-shirt than a cheap one that will rip straight away.
Instead of buying new clothes, give yours a makeover! Get crafty with some DIY to give them a new lease of life.
Buy faux – the production of wool, leather and fur harms millions of animals every year, and it's also bad for the environment.
You can find out more about how to make environmental and ethical shopping choices here.
And if you’re looking to cut your carbon footprint and fight climate change in a bigger way – switch to a green energy supplier too!
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