Murky Materials The reality of the fashion industry is bleak and it’s worse than many thought possible.
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t’s no secret that the fashion industry is no stranger to controversies. Household brand names such as H&M, Urban Outfitters, and Forever 21 have been accused of designing cheap and trendy clothing intended only to last for one season. The reality of the fashion industry is bleak. According to a article in Entrepreneur Magazine, “practically every stage in the life cycle of clothing has negative implications for our planet.” Many factors contribute to fashions negative effects on the planet. However an important variable which often goes unnoticed is the materials that go into making inexpensive clothes and the plethora of problems created in their production. One such material which is very popular among consumers is cowhide or calfskin leathers. Tanned skins are one of the last materials that one would expect to see on this list. The tanning industry poses threats to both the environment and those that work within it. Manufacturers have managed to find “profit-maximizing” production methods that come at the cost of the environment and freshwater supplies. Leather that is tanned with chromium and/or formaldehyde, which are toxic chemical compounds, account for up to 90% of the leather available on the market today. This is mainly because the chemically-dependent tanning process can be completed in a matter of days, rather than in a matter of months. Historically, leather has been tanned with natural “tannins” which
WORDS by JACKSON BALTES ART by CLAIRE TOLLES
include oak bark, leaves, vegetable extracts, and plant roots. The process, which is known as vegetable tanning or “veg-tan”, takes many months to complete and is both costly and labor-intensive. The finished product is considered to be far better in quality, durability, and overall finish than its chrome-tanned counterparts. Chrome tanning has and will continue to dominate the market due to its cost effective production as it takes only a few days to complete. Gentleman’s Gazette Magazine, pointed out that, “chrome tanning allows you to end up with leathers that are really thin, soft and flexible... chrome leather also typically holds color much better, is more colorfast and you can also have a much larger range of brighter colors.” However, what often goes unnoticed by general consumers is the whole host of destructive effects created in the production of chrome-tanned leather from watershed to workers. Workers in charge of doing the “dirty work” in the tanneries suffer infertility, birth defects, and respiratory problems due to the chromium and/or formaldehyde found in the tanning solutions. This toxic tanning solution has been known to melt and burn the skin off of tannery workers employed in developing countries with little to no safety regulations. The toxic waste ends up in rivers and waterways, along with other waste created by the tanneries. In a PBS NewsHour interview in 2017, Richard Pearhouse of Human Rights Watch said, “Each time I would spend a peri-
od of time in [Bangladesh], I would fall sick to some of the illnesses I was witnessing with some of the people who were living there and working there,” he added, “It’s hard to overstate how polluted [the tanning district] is.” The climax of the matter is that even though chrome-tanned leathers are cheaper, they do not wear or patina well. Due to the finish on the leather, they can end up “cracking” after a few months of use. Another very popular material that causes environmental problems and often goes unnoticed is cotton fabrics.
“Each time I would spend a period of time in [Bangladesh], I would fall sick to some of the illnesses I was witnessing with some of the people who were living there and working there.” - Richard Pearhouse According to Environmental Club leader junior Phoebe Ray, “Cotton makes up about half of all the materials used in textiles, but the way it is grown is environmentally unsustainable.” Throughout the many stages of cotton production and manufacturing, both the health and safety of the environment and workers have been neglected. The harmful effects of cotton production are usually felt before any seed has been planted.
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