“Fast fashion is like fast food, after the sugar rush it just leaves a bad taste in your mouth”. Topped only by the oil industry, fashion is the world’s second-most polluting industry, responsible for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and other toxic impacts!
So what simple actions can we take to make our wardrobes a lot more climate-friendly? Well about half of fashion’s CO2 emissions come from the electricity used in washing, tumble-drying, and ironing, so why not try the following:
✅ Avoid washing outerwear like jumpers, shirts & jeans too often; spot clean small soiled areas rather than wash the whole garment; wash at 30 degrees (instead of 40) to save an average of 30-40% energy needed; get a Guppyfriend wash bag to reduce microplastics escaping into water bodies & help increase clothing longevity; hang clothes on the line to air-dry & peg from the bottom so creases drop out; and only iron necessary items.
✅ In addition, reduce “emissions-per-wear” by keeping your clothes for longer & wear them more often; mend small holes, missing buttons or loose stitching; find someone on www.repairmystuff.ie for more challenging repairs; sell old clothes in good condition on GABSS & Depop; donate to St. Vincent’s Charity Shop; and repurpose worn items using these creative ideas from goodhousekeeping.com.