http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/clothes-recycling-marketplace-1.4493490
This topic of recycling clothing becomes increasingly relevant as sustainability becomes a rising factor in the fashion industry. I have personally seen these recycling bins pop up in my local malls and shops, and though the message sounds nice and encouraging, I never knew exactly where they would go and what percentage of it would be used. According to this article, in most cases, apparently none are “recycled” and made into new clothing. Because recycling clothes into new textiles is so costly, it is resold to countries far far away. “Author and environmentalist Elizabeth Cline says less than one per cent of clothing is recycled to make new clothing.” For major retailer H&M, only .7 percent of the material used to make clothing is recycled. And with the high volume of fast fashion and the need for consumers to keep up constant cycling trends, more and more cheap clothing is being disposed in landfills. This article is eye opening, as nothing is truly as it seems, especially with the right marketing. Though businesses make promises to sustainability and responsibility, they are never truly transparent. Therefore, consumers must take initiative of their own research before mindlessly shopping, or even shopping at all if unnecessary.
