Fabrics that aren't green

A look at three

Popular Materials Harmful To The Environment

Before throwing away your old clothes you may want to consider the type of materials used in these clothes. Certain materials can have a negative environmental impact both in their production and the pollution they create when they end up in the landfill.

Cotton

Cotton is one of the oldest fabrics and while many people may think cotton clothing is environmentally friendly, Jun Yin, a regional hydrogeologist working for the Minis - try of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations, said otherwise.

“To produce cotton, a large amount of water is needed, adding stress to those water scarcity areas,” Yin said.

Polyester

Polyester is harmful to the environment because the production of polyester uses fossil fuels. When thrown away, microfibers from polyester become problematic. “Because [microfibers] are not biodegradable, they will be discharged to the

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by Anita Zhu

ocean through hydrological cycle,” Yin said.

Leather While leather may be natural, growing cattle livestock generates excessive amounts of methane. “Methane is a strong greenhouse gas, and its global warming potential is 100 times greater than normal greenhouse gases such as CO2.”

Yin concluded, “as long as it is a product, it will go through processes and each step generates waste and produces a carbon footprint – more or less.”

According to the World Bank, the fashion industry and textile production and dyeing is responsible for up to a fifth of all industrial water pollution. When companies such as Forever 21 continue to produce cheap clothes, that water has also effectively gone to waste when the garments are out of commission. CHRISTINA DOMMER ILLUSTRATION