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Sustainable Shopping this Season, and Every Season

November 29, 2022

The Holidays are upon us. Twinkly lights, Holiday music, the Nutcracker ballet, peppermint mocha, and gift shopping..lots and lots of gift shopping. We buy all kinds of gifts for the Holidays…electronics, jewelry, music, shoes, toys, clothing and much more. And for the average buyer, not much thought is put into where these items were made and how the environment was affected by their purchase, and what kind of quality of life the workers who made this item have. For the purpose of focusing on what we know best, textiles, we would like to encourage you, dear follower, to think about these questions as you make purchases of textiles this Holiday season, and every season. When purchasing clothing items for Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or any other occasion, there are many ways you can think about and look into sustainable options, which support the worker and the environment. What does it mean to shop sustainably?

“Sustainability means maintaining an ecological balance by avoiding the depletion of natural resources. But sustainability is commonly extended to social systems—ensuring they promote the well being of all the individuals and communities affected. Sustainability also speaks to longevity – environmental, social and economic systems and industries need to be designed in a way that means they are in balance and can be maintained well into the future. So sustainable fashion is simply about fostering a fashion industry that takes a long term approach to the design, manufacturing, and consumption of clothes and accessories. It’s about fashion that both creates good and avoids harm, whether to people, the planet or animals.” (Found here)

What to Look For

What can a consumer look for in their purchases to help ensure that the clothing is as sustainable as possible?

Fabric Choice

The first consideration when shopping sustainably is paying attention to fabric choice. Not all fabrics are equal when it comes to sustainability. Whereas “silk, hemp, linen, and wool are all natural, low-impact textiles” (found here), certain fabrics are made from plastic fibers and release plastic microfibers during the washing process which eventually end up polluting our bodies of water. The best fabrics to choose as sustainable options are “cotton, linen, silk, wool, hemp, etc. — which will last the longest in your closet. Specifically, silk was found to be the longest-lasting fabric in terms of how long it remained in use, with wool in second place.” (found here) These choices are more beneficial at their end of life also because “when they do wear out, natural fabrics are biodegradable and recyclable.” (found Here) At times, we will need to purchase other pieces that don’t fall into one of these fabric choices, such as for a bathing suit. “If you must buy polyester or another synthetic fiber, look for polyester that’s made of recycled water bottles, fishing nets, carpet, and other post-consumer products.” (Found here)

Eco Certifications

The second consideration when shopping sustainably is checking for different eco certifications on the items for purchase or companies selling them. Here are a few certifications you can look for when shopping sustainably:

“OEKO-TEX is an independent test and certification system for textiles, and it offers multiple levels of certification, the most basic of which indicates that the product is free of hazardous chemicals.” (Found here)

“Fair Trade certification indicates that the factory workers are paid at least the minimum wage, and that the working conditions are safe.” (Found here)

“B-Corp is a general seal of approval for brands that have proven their commitment to sustainability and transparency.” (Found here)

“Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), which bills itself as the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world, reduces the impact of cotton farming and improves the livelihoods of farmers and their families.” (Found here)

In addition to these certifications and programs, there are also a few apps and web browser extensions that can assist you in your search to shop sustainably. One of these is Good on You. “The Good on You app lets you search for a brand’s environmental impact, labor policies, and even animal-friendly considerations, plus makes recommendations in different categories (dresses, hosiery, outerwear) of sustainable and ethical brands.” (Found Here) When shopping this Holiday season, take your time and check out some of these important certifications and sustainable apps to assist you in your gift hunting.

Durable and Versatile

A third consideration when shopping sustainably is finding textile pieces that are created to last – those that are durable – and pieces that can pair with multiple items in your wardrobe – those that are versatile. Sustainable companies take more care with the pieces they create, making products that are made of quality fabric and made to last across years.

When shopping sustainably looks like buying less clothing, it’s important to carefully choose those items that can benefit your wardrobe and pair with multiple pieces you already own. A year ago we shared a blog about choosing consciously and highlighted the idea of a capsule wardrobe, which involves paring down your closet to primarily pieces with a timeless style that can pair with multiple items you own. Capsule wardrobes mostly involve vintage, secondhand and sustainable pieces.

Other Ways to Shop Sustainably

In addition to what to look for in shopping from sustainable companies, here are a few more ideas on ways you can shop to show care for the environment and the workers involved.

Buy Secondhand

A few years ago we posted an article about shopping secondhand during the Holiday season. With the ability to find rare and vintage items by shopping resale for gift giving, loved ones can receive gifts that are one of a kind. Shopping secondhand is another sustainable option as you are giving a second life to items that have already been made, and not adding to the environmental effects of creating something new.

Buy Local

“Staying local is the key to sustainable shopping.” (Found here) Buying locally involves less of a footprint made by using gas to go from here to there, and can also benefit local artisans and mom and pop stores that may focus more on quality and sustainability.

Buy Online

In addition, some articles referenced in this blog have shown that shopping online can reduce your environmental footprint by combining numerous products in one delivery truck vs multiple cars driving to and from stores to shop around. When internet shopping is available, remember to look into the certifications and app or web extension browsers that can help you find companies that are sustainable.

The Holiday Season

We hope as you begin your Holiday shopping that this blog will help educate you, our readers, on the myriad of ways you can shop sustainably this season, and in every season. For more ideas, check out some of the articles we referenced above. Here at Chicago Textile Recycling, we wish everyone a warm and happy Holiday season and a Happy 2023.

Recycling

Children’s Books on Textile Recycling

October 6, 2021

We love to educate our readers about the importance of textile recycling. And we know that our readers include all different races, ethnicities, genders, etc. Our readers also come from different family sizes, from single adults to heads of households of multiple children. For those that know kids, have kids, are aunts and uncles to kids, teach kids or just love kids, this post is for you. To fulfill this part of our mission of educating readers, we would love to share children’s books we have come across that teach kids about textile recycling and understanding textiles.

Jordan and the Magic Cape

Fifteen students in Simon Fraser University’s Make Change Studio Program created a book titled “Jordan and the Magic Cape” to teach kids about textile sustainability. The main character Jordan owns a beloved cape that becomes damaged. After Jordan is told to throw it away, the cape comes to life and tells Jordan that they are not finished having adventures together. Jordan then learns about different fabrics that can restore the powers of the cape.

Where Did My Clothes Come From?

Written by Chris Butterworth, this book explains how and where different fabrics are made. From jeans being made from cotton plants to sweaters being made from sheep’s wool to a party dress made from silk worms, this book goes semi in-depth in a kid friendly way to help kids understand the process of creating textiles. Other fabrics include chemical synthetics, fleece made from recycled plastic bottles, and boots made from rubber trees. The last few pages are dedicated to recycling facts and the importance of textile recycling.

My Panda Sweater

In this book by Gilles Baum, a little girl loves to wear her panda sweater. When she grows too big for it, she donates it so someone else might use it. A new child joins her class one day, and the child is wearing the panda sweater. She befriends the new classmate and they dance together, not caring what other kids may think. This book will inspire kids to share clothes they have outgrown with other kids in need.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Simms Taback wrote this story about a man with an overcoat that was old and worn. Joseph created a jacket from the coat, which then became old and worn. He then made a vest, scarf, tie, handkerchief and button, until finally he lost the button. Inspired by a Yiddish folk song, titled, “I Had a Little Overcoat,” the author created this book to teach about using textiles to their end of life.

Something from Nothing

A very similar book is “Something from Nothing” by Phoebe Gilman about a little boy whose grandfather made him a blanket, which after becoming worn, became a jacket, vest, tie, etc. The illustrations in this book also depict a mouse family living under the floorboards that take the scraps from this blanket as the grandfather cuts it down into different items and uses the scraps for bedding, rugs, curtains and clothes.

I Had a Favorite Dress

Another book with a similar plot is “I Had a Favorite Dress” by Boni Ashburn. Similar to the previous books, it is about a little girl who has a favorite dress, which she outgrows. Her mom then sews it into a shirt, tank top, skirt, scarf, socks, and then hairbow. After the hairbow becomes too tattered, her daughter makes the little pieces of the hairbow into a picture that she can hang up and remember her favorite dress. Each of these books promote the idea of respecting and taking care of our clothes rather than treating them as disposable items to misuse and trash.

New Old Shoes

Charlotte Blessing wrote this book about the lifespan of a pair of shoes. The shoes begin their journey sitting on the shelf brand new at a store and are soon bought for a child to wear and play. Later donated, the shoes were then shipped overseas as a used textile, sold in the market and worn by two more children until they grew no longer functional. This book raises the importance of donating old shoes and wearing them out to their end of life. It shows that rather than sending old items to a landfill, they can find use and have even a second and third life with donation.

Next Generation

In addition to sharing with our readers about consequences of throwing away textiles, where to donate old textiles, and different programs around our world making headway toward a circular economy in textiles, we also desire to create this love of caring for our planet in the next generation. Caring for our planet and ensuring its health in the years to come necessitates the education of our children on the importance of doing our part. Education through age-appropriate books, recycling textiles, pushing for a circular textile economy, cleaning our parks and oceans, buying more sustainably, and composting are a few of the many ways we can keep our planet beautiful and thriving for future generations.