On America Recycles Day, 15th November, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognises the importance and impact of reusing what we already have. The agency says the country’s recycling rate has increased from less than 7 percent in 1960 to more than 35 percent now.
This move toward sustainability by both the consumer and the industry could not have come soon enough. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated Americans generated 17 million tons of textile waste in 2017. Of that, just 2,570 tons are recycled and 11.15 million tons end up in landfills, up from 1.7 million tons in 1960. Essentially, one garbage truck of textiles is sent to the landfill every second, according to the San Francisco Goodwill.
Programs like Cotton Incorporated’s Blue Jeans Go GreenTM denim recycling program, which collects old denim and turns it into natural cotton fibre insulation are helping the transition to a sustainable future, allowing manufacturers who work with recycled textiles and clothes to reconstruct new garments with less environmental impact. Second-hand shops have also thrived in recent years.
In its report, “Resale Growth & the Impact of COVID-19,” Thredup says the second-hand market is set to hit $64 billion in the next 5 years. And by 2029, resale, as well as traditional thrift and donation are expected to grow to almost twice the size of fast fashion.
Source: Sourcing Journal
Read more about the sustainable trends here.
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