How Long do Clothes Rot in Landfills? Part 2
Quiz your knowledge and learn more about the textiles we wear everyday.
Welcome back to our bi-weekly dive: Waste Wednesday!
In preparation for our 2nd Circular Fashion Playground we’re exploring WASTE!
Reclypt’s Circular Fashion Playground is meant to help you start or grow your circular journey. We know you’ll walk away from the playground with a better idea of what works for you!
No matter where you are on your circular journey (especially if you haven’t started yet) all are welcome! April 13th from 12-5:30p at Project Farmhouse (Union Sq.)
How long do textiles take to decompose?
First, let’s understand the difference between decompose and biodegrade.
Decompose refers to the breakdown of a material over time, this is when a material disintegrates into non-toxic, natural elements in a compost setting, at a much faster rate.
Biodegradation is a naturally occurring process; this is when a material can be broken down by bacteria and organisms.
In this context, textiles (aka our clothes) eventually end up in landfills (stats are unclear but hover around 80% of all clothes do). Landfills are layers and layers of various materials, so not even close to an ideal setting for composting nor biodegradation.
While textiles are in landfills they are trapped under, over, and between layers of food, plastic, blends of natural and synthetics materials, and more which slows down the breakdown process emitting more and more harmful gases.
While I have you, let’s briefly touch on Microplastics.
Majority of microplastics from textiles are released the first few washes.
Fast fashion accounts for particularly high levels of such releases because fast fashion garments account for a high share of first washes, as they are used for only a short time and tend to wear out quickly due to their low quality.
Ok, TRIVIA TIME!
How’d you do? What surprised you (or didn’t)?
SOURCES:
https://www.close-the-loop.be/en
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/28-types-of-fabrics-and-their-uses
https://www.voguebusiness.com/sustainability/fashion-biodegradable-material-circularity-cotton