What Not to Wear

Last week, I bought a new flatiron for my hair.  As I checked out, I never thought about where it would end up once it had served its purpose.  Ann Thorpe author of The Designer’s Atlas of Sustainability uses an illustration of a toaster in the middle of a field to remind the reader where that toaster will spend most of its time here on earth. 

Designers today only think about the object itself. They must expand their thinking to include the whole life cycle of products, and have a concept of the procedures necessary to eliminate waste.  If designers would use the earth and its ecosystem as an example, then we could create products that would become nutrients; products that give back instead of take away, when they decompose.  In other words, Waste=Food.  This is the concept that McDonough & Braungart in Cradle to Cradle want designers to follow.  A perfect example of this concept was the collaboration the two men had with DesignTex and Rohner, a Swiss textile mill, to design a compostable fabric.  They determined which dyes could be used that were not harmful to the environment, and used this knowledge to produce a fabric.  Not only did they produce the material initially desired, but they also discovered several unexpected side effects.   The factory trimmings that had once been considered hazardous waste were now clean and could be sold as mulch to local gardeners.  The needs for regulations were eliminated, and the use of gloves and masks were no longer needed by employees and the DesignTex and Rohner saw financial gains.  The partnership had created a product that eliminated waste.  It had a nutrient that was biodegradable and became food for the biological cycle.

What made this product unique is that the fabric was developed to be sustainable from the beginning, but what do we do with products that are filling up our landfills today?   Recycle, a word I’m sure you have heard before but may not understand its true meaning.  It is taking a product and repurposing it as something of greater utilization and fundamental value in its second life.  This process is also known as up cycling.  No, that doesn’t mean riding your bicycle up a hill.  One company, Patagonia, has made tremendous advances in the process of up cycling. They ask customers to bring their worn out garments to the store, and these garments are then placed back into their supply chain.  The garments are shipped to Japan where they are then broken down to its molecular structure, and reformed into new polyester to be made into another product.  Once again, Waste=Food except this is known as a technical nutrient, which stays in a closed loop cycle, so that it does not contaminate the biological cycle.  

My aunt, an environmental geologist, and I were discussing last night at dinner what I have been learning. I was sharing with her Patagonia’s process for recycling and she asked a great question.   What is the negative impact to our environment from the fuel consumption and air emissions when they send the material to Japan to be processed?  Wouldn’t it be better if they could have that process done closer to their headquarters in California?  I have just found a company, SustainU, that is working hard to do all the above. They are using 100 percent sustainable fabrics, creating jobs here at home and by doing so they have reduced the fuel and emissions created by the shipping process.  From start to finish, their products take less than a 200-mile radius of transport to create yarn, knit the fabric, and cut and sew the clothes. Watch their video on how they are creating jobs here in America. 

New Old Jobs from sustainU on Vimeo.

The AAFA, American Apparel & Footwear Association, is making it easier for companies to know what chemicals are considered harmful to the environment.  It released a list of all chemical and other substances that are restricted by a government regulation or law. It is the Restricted Substance List (RSL). Hanes Brand Inc. helped to lead the way in the development of the RSL, which is updated every six months.  Companies must have a transparent supply chain to allow them to successfully trace the supply of fibers, such as organic cotton, back to the farm where they were grown.  An example of a company doing this is NAU pronounced “now”.  They independently test all their products against the RSL of chemicals.  While many chemicals are inexpensive many of them are toxic to the environment.  Chemicals such as arylamines, which has been linked to bladder cancer, are found on the list.  Other chemicals that made the list are:  solvents, pesticides and asbestos.  These substances range from ozone depletion, overexposure can cause death and is linked to certain forms of cancer.  Nike is another company forging ahead in this endeavor to produce a more sustainable product.  You can find the RSL on their website that suppliers must follow. 

GOTS certification is another way a company can show the public their effort to be sustainable. GOTS is an acronym for Global Organic Textile Standard.  To earn this certification, the fabric must contain a minimum of 70% organic fibers while prohibiting the use of toxic finishing agents. Forum for the Future talked about the difficulty in following the supply chain.  This certificate helps ease the minds of the designer and the consumer to know that the product has undergone inspection and fits the criteria set by GOTS.  You might ask yourself, how do I trust this certification.  Their inspectors are making sure that certain chemicals are not being used in these fabrics such as heavy metals.  Heavy metals in small amounts are essential in the operation of our bodies but too much can be harmful to us.  The purchase of GOTS products assures the consumer that it is free of these harmful chemicals.  Harmony Art is a company that has just received its GOTS certification.  The chart below helps to ease the mind of their customer that there are no toxins in their fabrics.

Organic Cotton Plus recently received it certification from GOTS and proudly displays it on their website.  Due to the interest in their GOTS-certified fabrics, they will be increasing their organic fabric offerings by 50% this year. 

Who would have ever thought you would have to consider so much before you purchased a product?  We are a society that trusts the people in charge. As patients, we trust the doctors.  As students, we trust our professors. As Americans, we trust our Government.  As consumers, we trust the designers.   I would pose the question, should we?  I’m not saying to not trust anyone but it is up to us, the consumer, to make ourselves aware of what it being used in the products we purchase.  A smart consumer is an informed consumer.  As you look into your closet today, instead of considering what to wear, you might want to consider What Not to Wear!