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Quick recap: I assigned myself a summer reading book, Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, to help me help me learn more about ethical fashion. I’m jotting down some notes and thoughts as I read through it this month and sharing them here. Maybe it will inspire you in a new way too!
I’ve divided the book into four sections. (Find my notes on Part One here and Part Two here.) Part Three contains Chapters 5 and 6.
Chapter 5: The Afterlife of Cheap Clothes
There is an enormous disconnect between increasing clothing consumption and the resultant waste, partially because unworn clothes aren’t immediately thrown out like other disposable products. (p.121)
Notes and takeaways from this chapter:
- I was interested in this chapter in light of my Poshmark hobby. Did you know that of all the clothing that gets donated to charity, less than 20% actually gets sold in the thrift stores? About 50% goes straight to postconsumer waste facilities.
- Stats for postconsumer waste facilities:
- Less than 50% is high enough quality to continue as clothing
- 20% is sold to fiber buyers who use it in products like insulation or carpet padding
- 30% is sold to industrial wiping-rag companies
- 5% is thrown away
- “Vintage’s appeal is about nostalgia and exclusivity, but there’s also a certain ‘they don’t make ’em like they used to’ allure to owning something from our garment industry’s heyday.” (p.134) Reading about vintage clothing made me immediately think of Lisa and Betty’s Heart Co. I need to make an order soon!
Chapter 6: Sewing is a Good Job, a Great Job
Clothing companies have enjoyed decades of cheap foreign labor and the resulting profits, but what exactly are the tangible benefits to us, the American consumer? We own more clothes than we can wear, the quality and craftsmanship of our wardrobes are at an all-time low, and the U.S. manufacturing base can’t compete on wages with the developing world, costing countless domestic jobs. One of the tools we have to change these dynamics is not just to demand that clothing companies stop using sweatshops, but to set the bar much higher and demand they pay those who make our clothes a living wage. Raising wages abroad would be good for the U.S. economy, as it would give our own industries a much-needed change to compete. It wouldn’t be easy or simple, but it’s achievable and the benefits would be far-reaching. (p.160)
- It’s easy to forget that sewing clothing requires some skill: “At Alta Gracia [a garment factory in the Dominican Republic], a simple men’s T-shirt is created using a 14-person process and a number of different types of machines.” (p.139)
- to look for: the Fair Trade Certified label
Thanks for the shout out, Ashley!
A line from a Verily article I read a while back really stuck with to me- every piece of polyester clothing ever made is still on earth (or something like that). And, wow, I didn't know those stats about donated clothing!
Also, I only made my first Poshmark purchase in the past year and I'm amazed that I've been able to find specific things I've been looking for- often new with tags. It's been a great clothing resource!
I have wondered about the longevity of these plastic-based fibers! Definitely makes me look at my closet in a new way.
I often wonder if sites like ThredUp and Poshmark enable fast fashion a little, because people buy things knowing that they can resell/donate? I'm not sure if it actually makes a difference, but it definitely makes me more likely to buy used or fair trade items as much as possible!
I can see that. My thinking is that while it definitely doesn't support the "less, but better" mentality, it does help clothing have a longer shelf-life. It's so sad to hear about all of these clothes turning into industrial rags because we just refuse to wear them.