Recycled plastic dress: hit or miss?

The average European leaves behind 500 kg of garbage every year (for example: Poles 350 kg, Danes - 700!). Poland produces 13 million tons of municipal waste annually ¹ . There are tons of garbage in landfills, and old clothes constitute about 6% of all waste ² and this amount increases every year (for comparison, all plastic waste constitutes approx. 13% ³ ). We throw away most of our clothes instead of giving them a second chance.

But we think we are becoming more aware. We sort waste, choose reusable packaging, and like to buy products marked "eco" or "bio". The "zero waste" trend is becoming more and more popular! The fashion world has also become interested in it, increasingly willing to use recycled materials, and we, seduced by the words "eco aware" and "recycled" on clothes, are eager to buy them. On the one hand, this is good news, because every gesture that brings us closer to greater ecological awareness is valuable, but polyester, called a "miracle material" for the last few decades, is not so miraculous at all. It is polyethylene terephthalate, a material based on petroleum (PET). Every year, 70 billion barrels of oil are used to produce polyester ⁴ . 

How polyester affects the environment and our health.

There is no need to convince anyone about the harmfulness of this type of plastic to the environment: its production emits harmful fumes, including CO2. Such artificial material takes about 200 years to decompose, and in this process, among others: particles of extremely harmful microplastics enter the water ⁵ . From this perspective, it would seem that its reuse - e.g. to produce clothes from recycled polyester (rPET) - is an excellent alternative for the environment.

Not exactly. Yes, material is reused that is not biodegradable, and if it were not for reuse, it would simply end up in a landfill. And once it has been produced, no additional oil resources are used to process it. The energy needed to process polyester is less than that needed to produce it. And that's the good news.

Now the bad news: recycled polyester can no longer be recycled . So that dress or blouse that we bought, glad that it was "eco", will end up in a landfill after it no longer serves us. And he will spend the next 200 years there. Not very eco-friendly.

Processed polyester must be dyed and additionally bleached before dyeing. It is a process that uses toxic substances. Additionally, microplastics are released when washing polyester fabrics. Ultimately, it ends up in rivers and seas ⁶ . And then – to our stomachs. Wearing plastic clothing itself also has a detrimental effect on our health because it is a source of toxins ⁷ . Polyester also does not compare with other natural fabrics (such as cotton, linen or silk) when it comes to wearing comfort. It does not allow air to pass through, does not absorb moisture, is electrified, and feels like, well, plastic to the touch.

Is there a way to conscious fashion?

So maybe it's worth choosing vegan eco-leather? It's plastic too! Such advertised articles are usually made of PVC or polyurethane. They are not eco-friendly, they are not biodegradable, and toxic chemicals are used in their production process.

So instead of reaching for seemingly ecological alternatives to clothes, it is worth rethinking your purchases and choosing products made of natural fabrics. Cotton is quite controversial because its production uses a huge amount of water and pesticides , but - and here the choice is real - you can choose clothes made of organic cotton. So which one? One that is grown by hand, without chemicals or artificial fertilizers in the cultivation and production process. It is slightly more expensive, but also of better quality. Such a T-shirt or skirt will last longer. Linen and tencel (also known as lyocell), i.e. material obtained from cellulose, are also great alternatives. These materials, like cotton and hemp fabrics, are biodegradable.

Okay, but how can we be sure that we are really buying ecological materials, produced in a sustainable way ? Just look for information about the certificate on the label. What are we looking for? Shortcuts:

• GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard),
• OEB (Organic Exchange Blended),
• OCS 100%,
• OCS BLENDED,
• GRS (Global Recycled Standard),
• RCS 100% (Recycled Claim Standard 100%),
• RCS BLENDED (Recycled Claim Standard BLENDED).

Especially the former are rigorous; By purchasing products marked this way, we can be sure that we are making a good – ecological – choice. But there is another, cheaper way - instead of buying additional new clothes, it is best to give a second life to old ones. In this way, we will not further fuel the fashion industry, which is one of the largest water polluters on the planet. ⁸ .

Bibliography:

1. “Municipal waste statistics”, Eurostat, ec.europa.eu, December 2021.
2. “Textiles: Material-Specific Data”, United States Environmental Protection Agency, epa.gov, accessed January 17, 2022.
3. Porter B., “What Really Happens to Unwanted Clothes?” Greenamerica.org, accessed January 17, 2022.
4. Conca J., “Making Climate Change Fashionable - The Garment Industry Takes On Global Warming.” Forbes.com, December 3, 2015
5. Wicker A., ​​“Why, Exactly, Is Polyester So Bad for the Environment?” Ecocult.com
6. Young S., “The fabrics with the worst environmental impact revealed, from polyester to fur.” The Independent, May 28, 2021
7. Palacios-Mateo C., van der Meer Y., Seide, G., “Analysis of the polyester clothing value chain to identify key intervention points for sustainability.” Environ Sci Eur 33, 2021
8. Conca J., op.cit.
9. Krosofsky K., “How Does Polyester Impact the Environment? Is It Eco-Friendly? Greenmatters.com, November 11, 2020,
10. Hirsch S., “Cactus Leather Is the Newest Eco-Friendly Fabric.” Greenmatters.com, November 6, 2019