Mid June Update
I’m embarrassed… It’s been a year since I wrote here, and I cannot tell you how touched I am that so many of you have hung in and supported Conscious Costume during this past year.
Quick summary of what’s been going on:
I got a full time job working at the Center for Sustainable Business, while continuing to support Conscious Costume from a distance.
Emma has settled in and is bringing some great new ideas and energy to CC!
Emma and Ambar set up some wonderful new built in shelves to take advantage of the great vertical space we have!
We’re having some growing pains but navigating them fairly well, all things considered!
Coming up:
We’re supporting Nowhere Collective and AIBI in sewing the largest (as far as we can tell) sun shade sail ever made from 50 pounds of reclaimed sheets and scrap fabric. The massive artistic shade sail will be installed at The Trashy Summer Market on July 15th at KOVAL Distillery. It will serve to educate attendees on the textile waste crisis as well as help showcase creative reuse and reimagining. You can register here to help out on July 8th.
News Digest:
I’m going to aim for posting weekly but we all know that I’m not great at keeping on top of publishing commitments when life gets in the way. Anyways, here’s a few recent stories in the world of sustainable costuming that might interest you!
Fashion Waste Recycling Programs: EPR Proposed Laws
Extended producer responsibility (EPR) - would require brands to pay for recycling
Hopes to curb overproduction
0.50 - 2.50 per garment
Rethink design to facilitate recycling
Ghana receives 15 million discarded garments every week
Current take back programs by individual brands are not at a large enough scale to curb waste
Primarily capture the economic value of high quality clothing - according to Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Most recycling is downcycled into insulation or rags
A Mountain of Landfill can now be seen from Space
Only 15% of these garments are second hand, the rest are overproduction
A Recycled Idea at Levis and Adidas to Stop Clothing from Going to Waste
60% of clothing hits a landfill within 12 months of its manufacturing date - McKinsey report
According to the UN, between 8% and 10% of global emissions are from the garment industry, more than Iron and Steel (7.2%), Aviation (1.9%), and Livestock (5.8%).
Blended fibers are harder to recycle.
Levi's 501 jeans are made from 40% Renewcell and 60% organic cotton including the red tab, back patch, stitching, and interior labeling.
Adidas is currently using recycled polyester for 96% of their poly needs.
