Fashion & Pollution: The shocking TRUTH

ASIDE FROM AGRICULTURE, THE FASHION AND TEXTILE INDUSTRY IS THE LARGEST CONSUMER OF WATER.

Last Monday, London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned that the city's pollution levels are at a 6 year high. However, fashion doesn't come into our minds when we think of pollution - rather we imagine old cars releasing dark clouds from their exhausts, power plants with their gigantic chimneys or simply airplanes in the sky. We just don't consider that our clothing, not only uses most of these within the process of production, but is also largely made from materials that are not biodegradable and cause major damage in our eco-systems and to our health.

“Because [the fashion industry is] the second largest polluter in the world I also think we can be a huge force for change. I have hope. I know it’s possible to make clean clothes, to do it a better way.” - Eileen Fisher

The process of garment production involves many steps; from harvesting to farming, manufacturing, clothing construction, shipping and disposal. All these steps impact the environment. In fact, around 10% of the world’s global carbon emissions result from the apparel & textile industry and 25% of the world’s chemicals are used for textile production. The water usage is even more shocking, requiring on average of almost 5000 gallons of water just to produce one T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Until big brands find more affordable ways of creating sustainable clothing, consumers should be more aware of where they shop and what they buy.

Luckily, there are brands out there putting in the research and effort to find better ways.  ‘Material World’ is a Selfridges project supporting forward-thinking designers passionate about developing a sustainable fashion future. As for us, Milochie, we are always looking at improving and minimising our impact. We are already making huge steps in the fashion industry, and our Miloflex fabric, as part of the Wanderlust collection, is a statement for where sportswear can be. Miloflex® is an incredibly sustainable material, and is made from Tencel® (wood-pulp) which comes from sustainably harvested Eucalyptus trees that are turned into fabric using a super-efficient closed loop system, that re-uses 99% of its waste - including water. No fertilisers, pesticides or other harsh chemicals are needed. When our new collections arrive from our Portuguese makers, they are wrapped in paper and not the plastic poly bags you would expect from major retailers. When you place an order with Milochie, your paper-wrapped items are packaged in recycled mail bags.​ 

It is definitely a time of change, and in the urgency of our planet we hope that the words sustainable will not be needed in advertising - as every item SHOULD already be just that.

Share the message and get others thinking <3 Together we can make a difference.

@ly.di.re