Are Plastic Bottles to Replace Polyester the Best Solution ?

Sustainable fashion 

It is no doubt fast fashion has the worst impact on the environment, which makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions. The quick overconsumption of these clothes takes hundreds of years to decompose in landfill. So, what are companies doing about it? Many fast fashion brands have now taken the option of down-cycling; this involves the process of converting plastic bottles and other plastic waste into clothes. Recycled polyester is the main material that is used made from plastic bottles. This all may sound good, but some have raised important concerns and have called this a ‘greenwashing’ tactic by fast fashion brands to encourage people to buy more of what they don’t need. Once the plastic has been used to make clothes it CANNOT be recycled further and will end up in the landfill again. H&M says that 90% of its recycled polyester comes from plastic bottles. H&M alone produces 3 million items of clothing a year.   

If you are wondering what you should be buying instead of clothing made from plastic bottles luckily there are many other sustainable clothing choices you can make. The first is buying anything you don’t need. The most sustainable clothing are the ones you already own. If you do need to buying clothes, opt for timeless pieces that will always be in trend and can be easily styles with different clothing pieces, organising your clothes as a capsule wardrobe will make this easier. Shopping second-hand is also another great sustainable option. Finally buying clothes from natural fibres or from sustainable clothing brands is another environmentally friendly choice.  

Here are other of eco-friendly textile choices you can look out for.