Have you ever wondered what happens to the clothes and shoes in shops that nobody buys? You might think they get sent to people who need them or saved for a big sale. But for a long time, many companies did something shocking by destroying them or throwing them straight into the bin. Now, the European Union – a group of 27 European countries – has made a brand new rule to stop this.
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To keep up with changing fashion trends, an enormous amount of clothes is produced every year – 100 billion items to be precise. That’s almost 14 items for every human being on the planet.
This results in a huge amount of textile waste. It is estimated that 85% of all textiles are thrown away every year, from clothes that lose their quality to clothes that go out of trend. Globally, that equals to around 92 million tonnes of textiles ending up in landfills every year. To put things in perspective, this means that the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of clothes ends up on landfill sites every second. If the trend continues, the number of fast fashion waste is expected to soar up to 134 million tonnes a year by the end of the decade.
This is a huge waste of resources. Think about all the water, cotton, and energy it took to make just one pair of jeans. When we throw away brand new clothes, we are also throwing away all the hard work and natural materials used to create them.
Check this out next: How Does Fast Fashion Affect the Environment?
Earlier this month, the European Union (EU) officially banned companies from destroying unsold textiles and footwear. This is part of a bigger plan called the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. The new rule means that companies can no longer trash perfect items. Instead, businesses must learn to manage their stock more carefully so they do not have too much left over in the first place.
When they do have extra items, they are encouraged to donate them to charity or find ways to turn them into something brand new. The only time a company is allowed to destroy something now is if the item is actually broken or dangerous to use.
Our planet has a limited amount of resources, so the EU wants us to move toward something called a circular economy. Imagine a circle where instead of making something, using it once, and throwing it in a straight line to the bin, we keep things moving around the circle. We should make things that last a long time, repair them when they break, and reuse the materials when we are finished with them.
Even though these rules are for large companies, everyone can play a role. You can start by wearing your favorite outfits for as long as possible and loving the clothes you already have. Another great idea is to have a clothes swap with your friends or cousins to find new treasures. Finally, you can ask a grown-up to help you sew a button back on or patch a hole in your trousers so you can keep wearing them.
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