2
3
4
All textiles can be recycled and reclaimed.
5
T H E I S S U E AT A G L A N C E
Textile Waste MILLIONS OF TEXTILES ARE WASTED
The fashion industry is much loved for its creativity, style, and ability as a cultural and societal barometer to reflect our altering world affairs through clothing’s changing silhouettes and trends. However, the fashion industry is one of the world’s most polluting industries and is causing serious damage through environmental pollution. The emergence of fast fashion has caused this pollution to multiply. Something that most people are unaware of is that textiles can be recycled. Eighty-five percent of textiles ends up in landfills each year, which equates to an estimated seventy pounds per person. Old jeans can be turned into insulation, shirts can be refashioned into new items of clothing, and clothing can be donated. Clothing should never end up in a landfill.
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Lessen your impact on the environment.
9
T H E I S S U E AT A G L A N C E
Sustainable Fashion ANTI FAST FASHION
Sustainable fashion, also known as Eco fashion, is a part of the growing design philosophy and trend of sustainability. The goal of sustainable fashion is to create a system which can be supported indefinitely in terms of human impact on the environment and social responsibility. It can be seen as an alternative trend against fast fashion, or current fashion trends.
Nowadays, trends change and people grow tired of their wardrobe relatively quickly, and what were once fashionable outfits adorned by the masses become ghosts haunting a closet or even worse, tattered rags rotting in a landfill. But is doesn’t have to be this way. SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Sustainable fashion is merely a part of a larger movement called sustainable
design, wherein products are designed and manufactured in full awareness of their environmental impact. Fashion designers are finding ways to incorporate sustainability into their initial designs and pieces. These design methods are known as zero waste design, reconstruction, and up-cycling. Each of which uses fabric, new or recycled, that is carefully considered and has little environmental impact.
SLOW FASHION
Within the umbrella of sustainable fashion we also find separate initiatives to reduce waste and lesson the environmental impact of textiles. One such example of these initiatives is called “slow fashion�, a movement primarily concerned with lengthening the total life of a garment or textile, reducing the demand to produce more and ultimately lowering the potential for waste.
12
It’s time to close the loop in the fashion industry.
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T H E I S S U E AT A G L A N C E
A Closed Loop A closed loop in the fashion industry is when a company values all of the constituent parts of its products and reuses them to create more products at the end of their life cycle. RAW MATERIAL
Raw materials, new and recycled, are processed and turned into textiles. DESIGN/MANUFACTURE
Designers create and have garments manufactured. RETAIL
Clothing is sold in retail stores to consumers. CONSUMER CARE
Clothing is maintained by consumers. EXTEND LIFE
Damaged clothing is repaired instead of discarded. DONATE/RECYCLE
Unwanted clothing is recycled or donated. Clothing can be broken down into raw materials or reused by designers - a process known as up-cycling or reconstruction.
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Sustainable Solutions In order to build a world of sustainable fashion, textiles need to be recycled. Since only 15% of textiles are recycled, my goal was to create a program implemented at first on a small scale at the University of North Texas. The goal of the program is to encourage students to recycle their textiles by rewarding them with points to spend on campus. In addition to the recycling program, a sustainable fashion show would be hosted by the fashion design department to raise awareness for the new program. 19
T H E S O LU T I O N
Reward System
GO THROUGH YOUR OLD CLOTHES
BRING THEM TO CAMPUS
Only 20 percent of the clothes in the average person’s closet are worn on a regular basis. Most find themselves overwhelmed by their closet and should go through their clothes and select things that may no longer be wanted or may no longer fit.
Textile bins will be located throughout campus, making donation easy. Bins will be in the lobbies of all the dorms, the union, and in parking lots. With easy access to donation bins, students will easily be able to contribute without much effort.
SCAN YOUR UNT ID
EARN & SPEND YOUR POINTS
Students will need to have the University of North Texas app installed on their phone in order to earn points from donating textiles. The bins have built in scanners that are able to scan a students ID through passbook linking points earned to the students EUID.
Points that are earned will be linked to students EUIDs through the University of North Texas app. Students can see what awards are available through the app as well. Rewards will be available from the university and also from local businesses in the Denton area.
T H E S O LU T I O N
Sustainable Design CHANGING THE WAY YOU DESIGN
Aside from needing to recycling textiles that are left on the cutting room floor, design can be made sustainable by fashion designers. There are three ways to design sustainably. Zero waste technique, reconstruction, and up-cycling are the methods that can be used. Hosting a sustainable fashion show would expose fashion designers at the University of North Texas to sustainable design and allow them to begin incorporating it into their design. ZERO WASTE
Zero waste is a design technique that eliminates textile waste at the design stage. UP-CYCLING & RECONSTRUCTION
Upcycling refers to the act of recycling materials into raw materials of even
higher quality. Reconstructions takes upcycling a step further and creates new garments from previously used ones.
26
Design Artifacts In support of the textile recycling program and sustainable fashion show, several design artifacts were created. For the fashion show: a poster, program, and invitation were created. For the recycling program: a University of North Texas app, Passbook ID, and textile recycling bin were created. 27
D E S I G N A RT I FACT S
Wasteless Threads Fashion Show Program The Wasteless Threads Fashion Show Program will be distributed at the fashion show. The program introduces the idea of sustainable fashion and recycling and explains how they work. The program then introduces the fashion designers and gives the reader some information about them and their inspiration in order to make the attendee feel closer to them. Finally, the fashion designers work is showcased so the viewer can view certain examples of sustainable fashion.
COVER The third spread on the fashion designer showcases some of their work that will be included in the fashion show.
INTRODUCTION The introduction talks about how sustainable fashion and recycling go hand in hand in order to create a closed textile loop. 29
DESIGNER SPREAD The first spread on the fashion designer focuses on their past, present, and future, giving attendees an inside look on the designer.
DESIGNER SPREAD CONTINUED The second spread on the fashion designer introduces their inspiration and discusses where the designer came from. 30
DESIGNER WORK EXAMPLE The third spread on the fashion designer showcases some of their work that will be included in the fashion show.
SHOW CREDITS The show credits spread gives credit to all of the participants in the Wasteless Threads fashion show.
D E S I G N A RT I FACT S
Wasteless Threads Fashion Show Invitation The Wasteless Threads Fashion Show Invitation will be distributed to several different groups of people in order to have a variety of attendees. First of all, the invitation will be sent to popular fashion designers and organizations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This will encourage the spreading of sustainable fashion and give the young fashion designers in the show exposure. In addition, students and faculty members of the University of North Texas will be invited. Getting students involved in the fashion show will generate growth for the University’s textile recycling program.
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D E S I G N A RT I FACT S
Wasteless Threads Fashion Show Poster The Wasteless Threads Fashion Show poster will be placed around the University of North Texas campus. The goal of the poster is to promote popularity and attendance. Having students attend the fashion show is important to create awareness for the University’s textile recycling program. Creating awareness of the need to recycle textiles is the purpose of the fashion show.
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D E S I G N A RT I FACT S
University of North Texas App Creating an app for the University of North Texas was the first step in implementing a textile recycling program. In addition to allowing students to register for classes, and see what is going on around campus, students are able to spend points that they have earned from recycling textiles. Campus rewards encourage students to bring their unwanted textiles to campus and donate them with the added incentive to earn University exclusive currency to spend.
LOGIN The login page is where a student inputs their EUID and password in order to access the university app.
HOME On the home screen, current events are displayed along with updates about the university. The hamburger menu in the top left corner allows students to access the menu screen.
MENU From the menu screen, students are able to access their student account, campus maps, bus routes, etc.
MY ACCOUNT Within the my account screen is a sub menu where students can access information about their classes, enrollment, and finances.
MY CLASSES Under the my classes sub menu students are able to see the classes they are enrolled in and what time and where they are.
CAMPUS REWARDS The campus rewards screen is where students can see what rewards are currently available to them and when they expire.
D E S I G N A RT I FACT S
University of North Texas Passbook ID The Passbook ID card is what allows students to earn points when they donate their unwanted textiles. When a student donates their textiles, the textile bin weighs how much was donated and awards a certain amount of points depending on weight. The student scans their Passbook ID which is synced to their EUID account with the university.
41
D E S I G N A RT I FACT S
University of North Texas Textile Recycling Bin Textile recycling bins will be placed throughout the University of North Texas campus. Bins will be placed in the dorm lobbies, the student union, and parking lots allowing students who live on and off campus equal accessibility. The textile bins have built in scanners that allow students to scan their passbook ID and to earn points. The bins are able to weigh themselves after each donation and award points based on how much was donated. The bin displayed to the right is an example of what a bin in the dorm lobbies or student union would look like.
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Index Section One 1
THE ISSUE AT A GLANCE
Textile Waste Sustainable Fashion A Closed Loop
15
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
23
DESIGN ARTIFACTS
Wasteless Threads Program Fashion Show Invitation Wasteless Threads Poster University of North Texas App Passbook ID Textile Bin
Reward System Sustainable Design
Section Two 41
DIGGING DEEPER
Textile Waste Natural Resources Chemicals & Pollution Up-Cycling & Reconstruction Zero Waste Consumer Care Textile Recycling
59
TEXTILES & YOU
Key Stakeholders Personas Persona & Artifact Interaction Areas of Intervention Desired Outcome
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Expand your knowledge on the issue of textile waste.
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Digging Deeper Many questions and problems remain to be answered. What are the full ramifications of textile waste? What measures can we as producers as well as consumers take to reduce the harmful impact of their current methods of disposal? Research shows that past patterns of textile disposal indicate a way forward in a less destructive direction. 49
50
DIGGING DEEPER
Textile Waste HOW TO REDUCE TEXTILE WASTE
Since the mid 1940’s, U.S. charities and the post-consumer textile recycling industry have re-purposed and recycled billions of pounds of clothing, household textiles, shoes, and accessories. This ensures your old clothing, footwear, and textiles continue to add value to the U.S. economy and beyond. It’s easy to be green - simply donate and recycle what you buy and wear when it is no longer useful. Organizations such as the Salvation Army make clothing drop-off easy with mobile drop-off stations, while commercial retail companies such as Goodwill provide the added benefit of having shops for needy people and families to capitalize on the generous donations of others.
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Resources are becoming scarce.
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DIGGING DEEPER
Natural Resources EXAMINING WASTE
The fashion and textile industries generate textile waste during production and consumer use. However, textile waste is now becoming a serious environmental concern because of its sheer amount. With fast fashion, comes fast and vast production, and thus increased textile waste. Globally, textile waste is flowing from factories and cascading from closets too often into landfills. Sadly, across the board, textile recovery rates for recycling remain relatively low, despite textiles being considered almost 100 percent reusable or recyclable in most cases. On the other hand, consumers are increasingly beginning to demand textiles that do not originate from natural resources, presenting additionally complex challenges to textile production and sustainability.
55
DIGGING DEEPER
Chemicals & Pollution IMPACT OF WASTE
The fashion and textile industries use and release a wide range of chemicals at various stages during the product’s life-cycle, that, especially when untreated, causes serious threat to our living environment. Textile production is a major contributor to environmental pollution because of its high greenhouse gas emissions and its contamination of air and fresh water supplies. Additionally, in today’s global fashion supply chains the widespread transportation of clothes and textiles leads to increased pollution. The story does not end here, because chemicals continue to be released into the water system when consumers wash and dry-clean their clothes.
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Design can make a difference.
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DIGGING DEEPER
Up-Cycling & Reconstruction UP-CYCLING
Up-cycling refers to the act of recycling materials into raw materials of even higher quality. Up to 15% of raw textile material does not reach the consumer, but ends up in landfills instead. By electing to up-cycle this material, textiles can be consolidated and capitalized upon in previously unimagined ways, lending to efficiency otherwise unknown. RECONSTRUCTION
Reconstructions takes up-cycling a step further and creates new garments from previously used ones. Quality up-cycled textiles go a long way in the process of reconstruction. Though manufacturers may be fickle with their avenues of reconstruction, the process can ideally marry economy of textile use with fashionable creativity.
DIGGING DEEPER
Zero Waste WHAT IS IT
Zero waste is a design technique that eliminates textile waste at the design stage. WHY DO IT
Approximately 15 percent of textiles intended for clothing ends up on the cutting room floor. When textiles are wasted so too are the resources, both natural and human labor resources, which were invested and embedded into the textiles. It is vital to address the source of the problem by maximizing the use of textile materials and by minimizing the wastage. Adopting a zero-waste design approach reduces textile waste and the demand on natural resources.
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Change the way you care.
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DIGGING DEEPER
Consumer Care HANDLE WITH CARE
Water waste is a major culprit for environmental impact when it comes to washing clothing. Use of energy efficient appliances is preferable when available. However, when particularly energy efficient appliances are not available to a consumer, gentle detergents are a suitable recourse, applying a less harsh and potentially damaging wash cycle to clothing items. A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE
Repairing damaged clothing before it is placed in a wash cycle is an important measure to take to prevent further damage by a wash cycle. Even a small tear in a garment can be aggravated by a wash cycle. Repairing such a blemish before placing it in the wash can prevent further damage and extend the overall life cycle of a garment.
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DIGGING DEEPER
Textile Recycling ALTERNATIVES TO TRASHING CLOTHES
Instead of simply tossing out damaged or well-worn clothes, alternatives for recycling exist that require little effort. Donating clothes to donation bins can fuel initiatives to convert materials such as denim into housing and commercial building insulation, for example. Other channels such as the Salvation Army, Goodwill and local thrift stores can provide clothing to those in need. Additionally, severely damaged clothing can be converted into industrial fabrics and cleaning supplies such as rags or other recycled fabrics. In this sense, no textile is innately worthless or without redeeming qualities, no matter its wear and tear. Every scrap has its market value and potential for reuse.
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Textiles & You Given the massively under-utilized potential of typically discarded textiles, the development of an overall strategy for their reassignment as redeemable market products can be overwhelming. However, after careful consideration of how individual demographically categorized consumers may approach this issue, similarly individualized solutions emerge. 71
A N A LYS I S & ST R AT E GY
Key Stakeholders
UNIVERSITIES
CONSUMERS
Universities have the opportunity to change the way students think. They are able to create communities within the campus. The are also able to build programs that are capable of changing the way students, consumers, and designers behave and think.
Consumers play the largest role in the fashion industry. Without consumers, the industry would not exist. Consumers have the ability to make the largest change in the aspect of textile waste and sustainable fashion.
STUDENTS
FASHION DESIGNERS
Students are a powerful force as consumers since they are open to the free sharing of ideas and are more likely to express enthusiasm and spread awareness for recycling practices than the average day-to-day worker.
Designers have an important responsibility as trendsetters in their field. A designer embracing responsible, environmentally-conscious textile recylcing programs could make massive strides in improving textile recycling programs with even the smallest steps in demonstrating awareness for the cause.
A N A LYS I S & ST R AT E GY
Personas
DANIELLE DESIGNER
EMILY ECO-FRIENDLY
CLASSIFICATION: JUNIOR
CLASSIFICATION: SOPHOMORE
MAJOR: FASHION DESIGN
MAJOR: ECOLOGY
AGE: 24
AGE: 20
PROBLEM:
PROBLEM:
Danielle has always been some what interested in sustainable fashion but never been able to pursue it. SOLUTION:
Emily has always expressed an interest in the planet and wants to raise awareness and encourage recycling in all forms.
Sustainable fashion program promoted in the Fashion Design Department.
A new textile recycling program.
SOLUTION:
DONNIE DORM
CAMELA COMMUTER
CLASSIFICATION: FRESHMAN
CLASSIFICATION: SENIOR
MAJOR: UNDECIDED
MAJOR: MARKETING
AGE: 18
AGE: 25
PROBLEM:
PROBLEM:
Donnie is fairly lazy and not willing to make an effort for a cause he isn’t interested in. SOLUTION:
Camela lives off campus with her parents in Flower Mound, TX. She is extremely busy between her course load, job, and commuting.
Textile bins in dorm lobbies and rewards offered.
Textile bins in commuter parking lots.
SOLUTION
A N A LYS I S & ST R AT E GY
Persona & Design Artifact Interaction
DOWNLOAD UNIVERSITY APP AND
DONATE TEXTILES IN TEXTILE BINS
PASSBOOK ID
USE PASSBOOK TO EARN POINTS
DANIELLE: Downloaded and used to access courses.
DANIELLE: Interested in sustainable fashion and fashion design.
EMILY: Downloaded and used to access to see campus events. DONNIE: Downloaded and used to access bus routes. Sees the student reward section and wants to earn free things. CAMELA: Downloaded and used to access student finances.
EMILY: Interested in recycling and making the planet a better place. DONNIE: Wanted to earn points to spend at the campus union. CAMELA: No longer needed clothes, was convenient to drop them off at school.
FASHION SHOW INVITATION SENT
FASHION PROGRAM HANDED OUT AT
AND POSTERS HUNG ON CAMPUS
WASTELESS THREADS FASHION SHOW
DANIELLE: Already participating in the fashion show through the UNT fashion design program.
DANIELLE: Is backstage at the fashion show since her work is being showcased. She has her own spread and information in the fashion program.
EMILY: Excited about going and seeing how clothing was re-purposed and reused. Tells all of her friends they need to go. DONNIE: Not really interested, but the girl he is interested in wants to go. CAMELA: Unable to go, however, the posters remind her about the textile bins on campus and she has more donations to make.
EMILY: Excited to see fashion designers embracing sustainable fashion. DONNIE: Actually somewhat interested in the designs. Remembers he can donate his old stained t-shirts to get free stuff. CAMELA: Unable to attend the fashion show due to busy schedule.
A N A LYS I S & ST R AT E GY
Areas of Intervention
UNIVERSITY RECYCLING PROGRAM
ZERO WASTE DESIGN
I chose to implement a recycling program at the University of North Texas as a small scale solution to the issue of textile waste. The University already has a great sustainability program in place. However, it does not have more than a few textile recycling bins throughout the campus. After doing research on why people do not recycle their textiles, I came to the conclusion it is due to the fact that it is inconvenient and has no immediate benefit. In order to tackle these two issues, I came up with the solution of having a textile recycling program that has bins located all throughout campus with an incentive program that encourages students to donate. This makes it worth their while and convenient.
The University of North Texas also has an excellent fashion design program in the College of Visual Arts & Design. Aside from recycling textiles, zero waste design is essential in reducing textile waste. Encouraging fashion design students to use the zero waste design method is one of the goals of hosting a sustainable fashion show. However, the main goal of the fashion show is to reconstruct and up-cycle donated textiles. Having reconstructed and up-cycled products to show to students will help to encourage more donations. Using the zero waste design technique will be essential in reducing cut-and-sew waste.
Desired Outcome
BEHAVIORAL
MEASUREMENT OF SUCCESS
Consumer behavior is one of the largest causes of textile waste. While fast fashion continues to grow, less consumers are shopping ethically and sustainably. Consumers are buying cheap, and poorly made products that wear quickly. Once they reach the end of their life the textiles are not being recycled and just being thrown out. Convincing consumers to spend more on well-made products is a difficult task while extremely cheap options are available. While ideal, this solution is highly unlikely. The real change that needs to occur is in end of textile life behavior. Consumers need to begin recycling and donating their textiles instead of tossing them in the trash.
In order to consider the strategy that was created successful, two things would need to occur. First, students would become aware of textile recycling and use the bins located on campus. Numbers only have the potential to rise in the amount of students who donate. Second, the University of North Texas fashion design students would begin using the zero waste design technique.
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Glossary There is a lot of terminology used throughout this research book. Within this section you can find all of it and additional terms used in the sustainable fashion industry. 81
Glossary C
CARBON FOOTPRINT
CO2 EMISSIONS
a measure in units of the total amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted due to human activity
the amount of carbon dioxide primarily released from the use of fossil fuels by human activities, such as petrol in vehicles, into the atmosphere
CLOSED LOOP DESIGN
when a product is designed to be easily deconstructed to enable it to have another function after its use, thereby eliminating all waste CLOTHING BANKS
garment recycling collection stations put up in a community, often by a charitable organization, where consumers can recycle their used clothing
CODE OF CONDUCT
a set of rules outlining an organization’s compliance in relation to human rights, labor law, environmental regulations, ethical issues and anti-corruption CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
a voluntary initiative by companies to reduce the negative environmental impacts of their businesses
CLOTHING DRIVES
events where unwanted clothing is collected and often donated to charity or sold to raise funds for charity
CRADLE TO CRADLE
a closed loop design process that is free of waste CUT-AND-SEW WASTE
CLOTHING SAMPLES
samples from the design and production of clothing
excess textile from the cutting and sewing phase of garment manufacturing
D
E
DAMAGED TEXTILES
ECOSYSTEM
unfinished textile products that have been damaged, for example color or print defects
a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment
DOWN-CYCLING
END-OF-ROLLS
to recycle a material into something of lower quality
surplus textiles that are leftover from manufacturing
E-COMMERCE
F
buying and selling of goods and/or services through the Internet ECO
a prefix for ecology and usually refers to ecological concerns or benefits ECO-CHIC
something that is environmentally conscious as well as being stylish
FAST FASHION
low-cost, low-quality clothing that has been rapidly produced to replicate catwalk trends
G
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
the trapping of the sun’s warmth in a planet’s lower atmosphere due to the presence of gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor, which allow incoming sunlight to pass through them but absorb heat radiated back
ECO-LABELING
environmental claims made on a product or through advertising using certifications, standards, logos, symbols or sustainability vocabulary
GREENHOUSE GAS
a type of gas in the atmosphere that absorbs infrared radiation and traps heat inside the atmosphere
L
GREEN-WASHING
PRE-CONSUMER WASTE
misleading, exaggerated or untrue claims about a product’s environmental benefits
manufacturing waste that has not reached the consumer
LIFE-CYCLE
the resource extraction, manufacture, distribution, use, disposal and recycling of a product
R
RECONSTRUCTION
the process of making new clothes from previously worn garments or made from preformed products RECYCLABLE
LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT
a technique that assesses the energy and material inputs and outputs, and the associated environmental impacts of a product or service system throughout its life-cycle
P
PESTICIDES
chemical or biological agents used to kill or destroy any type of pests or insects. In the fashion industry, conventionally grown cotton uses various pesticides POST-CONSUMER WASTE
waste collected after the consumer has disposed of it
a material that can be reused and re-purposed by turning it into a new usable material or a new usable product RECYCLED
when a waste material or a product has been reused and turned into a new usable material or product REDUCE, REUSE, AND RECYCLE
the 3Rs that classify waste management, according to their order of importance. Reduce your consumption and usage, reuse items again and recycle materials
RESPONSIBLE
SUSTAINABLE FASHION
CONSUMERISM
clothing that is produced with respect to the environment and social impacts
choosing to purchase products that take into account their environmental impact
S
SUSTAINABLE TEXTILE
a textile produced with little environmental impact
SAMPLING YARDAGE
factory surplus textiles from sample manufacturing
SWAP/SWISH
the free exchange of garments between people. It is a form of direct recycling through swapping of unwanted garments
SECONDHAND
a product that is acquired after it has been used by someone else and is not new SECONDHAND TEXTILE
clothing, accessories, and textiles that have been used and discarded by consumers
SWOT ANALYSIS
a method to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a business or project
SUPPLY CHAIN
refers to the steps and resources involved in moving a product from raw materials to the consumer SUSTAINABILITY
a process that meets the current population’s needs while preserving for the future
TAKE-BACK
a term used by companies collecting unwanted or used items from their customers
T
TEXTILE RECYCLING
reusing or reprocessing used clothing, or textile scraps
TEXTILE SWATCHES
leftover textile sample swatches TEXTILE WASTE
the textile by-products of the manufacturing of garments, fabrics, yarns or fibres that are deemed unusable for its original purpose TRANSPARENT BUSINESS
being open and honest about business practices TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE
a system where ‘people, planet, profit’ are considered beyond their financial outcomes
U
UNSOLD CLOTHING WASTE
is waste (finished or unfinished) that has not yet been used UP-CYCLING
the recycling of a material into a product of higher quality
Z
ZERO-WASTE
a design technique that eliminates textile waste at the design stage