Continuing on our Earth Day Green And Save series. Today, we live in a disposable textile trendy world. 
Just by saying NO to purchasing un-needed clothes will save you hundreds of dollars a year and the enviroment. Take a test and go look in your closet(s) and start counting the money you have wasted in clothing. Even I, who quit therapeutic shopping years ago and cleans out my closet yearly has over $500 of clothing I don’t wear or have only worn once.
Textiles meaning clothing and linens. Studies have shown that the average American household spends 3.6% of their money on clothing (2011). In 2010 the average American spent $1700 on clothing.
Now as a reformed aerobic shopper, I get it. I will grant you as a blogger, the computer doesn’t care what I look like, ergo my corporate wardrobe has changed. But no matter what, I do everything I can to reuse, reduce and re-purpose every bit of clothing and textiles that I have and pick up on the beach. A Typical Day of Beach Trash equals 5-6 socks, 3 T-shirts, 4 towels, 1 sheet and 3 assorted other textiles.
- The average American throws away about 65 pounds of clothing per year, and along with other textiles that Total Textile Waste= 14.3 million tons of textile waste per year.
- 85% of Textiles in the USA go to landfills.
- 50% of the textiles of the textiles can be recycled.
- 1 Cotton T-shirt requires 257 gallons of water.
- The EPA considers 7 of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in the USA as ‘to likely’, ‘probability’ to contain human carcinogens.
- The World Bank estimates that almost 20% of global industrial water pollution comes from the treatment and dyeing of textiles.
- Estimates that 50% of a women wardrobe is not even worn.
What You Can Eco
- For the last 25 years, I have a clothing exchange. Many of the attendees wait all year to get their new wardrobes.
- Trade clothes with friends.
- Say No to impulse purchases.
- Buy quality products that will last. Basics can last a lifetime.
- Buy Organic Products as much as possible. If not, purchase from companies that give back.
- Shop at Thrift Stores.
- Donate used clothing and Textiles. Goodwill will take back all textiles for resale.
- Rip up old clothing and reuse for Rags.
- Repurpose old clothing. See our Pinterest Boards on Reusing Clothing and Denim.
By taking care of quality clothes they will last longer. Saying no to cheap and impulse buys will save green in the earth as well as your wallet. Frequenting Second Hand Stores for best buys will keep their clothes out of the landfills, again saving green. Buying Organic will keep our waters from pollution and pollutants.
Resources
- Eco Trust Water Pollution From Textiles
- The Detox Campaign– Links clothing manufacturers with water polluters.
- Top Clothing Brands linked to Water Pollution in China
- Toxic Water Pollution in China
- Bangladesh Pollution