RIciclo. You will find yourself gathering your abandoned clothes in a bag, but only after having selected them well. And when you go out to take them to the nearest road bins (in Milan they are yellow) dedicated only to textile waste, wear your best smile. Do not think so as an “obligation” wanted by European legislation that, since January, introduces penalties for those who throw clothes and accessories in the Indifferentiated (and not in special containers), but like the First good action of the day: motivated by those insidious data that explain how The textile industry is responsible for 10 percent of global greenhouse gase emissions. 4 percent of the planet’s fresh water resources are used, contributing to 20 percent of industrial water pollution.
A few years ago, in Work with your feet. What your shoes are doing in the world (Einaudi), Tansy Hoskins explained how of over 24 billion pairs of shoes produced per year, more than 90 percent ends up in landfills. But let’s stop the alarmist data (and alarming): why not look at Small solutions that we can put into practice?
Recycling against textile pollution: plan the circularity immediately
Also in the textiles, by 2025 the new EPR (Extended responsibility of the manufacturer) will make the manufacturers responsible for the costs relating to waste management, encouraging the promotion of the circularity of goods from the design. For a must withdraw a share of what is brought to the market, proportional to the quantity entered: «To do this, companies in the sector are associated with consortia to which they delegate the responsibilities regarding waste. The abandoned garments are brought to centers where a specialized labor divides them among retailers (some in vintage shops, many in developing countries) and unused, because they are too worn out »explains Giuliano Maddalena, director of Safethe Italian Hub of Consortiums for Circular Economies.
Recycling, today the challenge is to create garments already designed to be able to generate new materials. (Oleh Slobodeni UK/Getty Images)
“A lot of pieces for rags are created, also used in industrial activities, how much the ovatte created by flaking. The fraying with which to form a new wire (both from natural and synthetic fibers) is more difficult. But the goal is the Closed-Loop, that is, to make items already designed to be able to generate new materials, in their end-life. The last step? Thermovalization: if not recyclable, the dress is burned to create energy».
The separate textile refusal is 15 percent. You will have to gradually get to 45: a real challenge, thinking about how the Francewhich in this has been committed voluntaryly, has reached 38 percent in 10 years of work.
Recycling must be encouraged
As if it comes out if today Photography is also that of the heaps of clothes piled up in the landfills of South America and Africa? The fault is also of a supply chain that does not always select the products well, before sending them. “Selective collections should be incentivized in stores: by bringing together several kilos of swimwear or tights (recyclable, but not everyone knows) It will be easier to dispose of the single material, not missing in the bin »concludes Giuliano Maddalena.
In 2023, also thanks to the world collection of used clothes, the Federation Humana People to People (born in 1998 and present in 46 countries) it financed 1,584 development projects, for the benefit of 17.9 million people, generating a working impact of over 20 thousand employees in the world.
In Bologna, the solidarity boutique of the “Rure for Good” project distributes free adults, children and babies for free (Olena Malik / Getty Images)
“We follow all the phases of the supply chain, from the collection to the selection, to the enhancement of the garments: an integrated and reportable system” he explains Karina Bolin, president of Humana People to People Italy. «People are already very responsible. What to pay more attention to? Not everything can be inserted in the containers. For example, rugs or fabrics polluted by paints, hill and plastic materials are excluded. And then very humid or moldy clothes, but also completely broken accessories. In that case, it is better to bring everything to the ecological islands of one’s municipality ».
Buy less, better and wear more
The wisdom of the past teaches: Why not return to the art of shelter? It is no coincidence that just Humana offers repair centers in its stores (18 only in Italy). Certain, The torn prices offered by Fast Fashion (or more poor and less expensive products of the Ultra Fast Fashion) do not encourage this good practice that would lead to buy less and better. «Fast fashion represents over 80 percent of things thrown and is often difficult to recycle. Not to mention that producing – and therefore using – a recycled yarn, is now more expensive than the virgin fiber. Technologies that will have to become more accessible »continues Bolin.
In short, nice shopping, but if to find some whims entering a second hand boutique it became a habit? «For this reason we supply the shops in a timely way with seasonal garments: some young people have married the cause and buy only pre-locoled garments (already used, editor’s note). We give everyone the opportunity to make this choice ».
A tip to be even more sustainable? «Buy quality garments: Don’t wash them after wearing them a few times, out of habit, if they don’t demand it, saving water. And to waste less energy better washing at low temperature, limiting the use of dryer».
A reduction of over 246 thousand tons of CO2 and more than 182 billion liters of water: this is the estimate of the 27 million kilos of product included in the Human containers in Italy last year. For the Ellen Mac Arthur Foundation, If each item purchased were worn about twice the time, the dwelled gas emission would be reduced by 44 percent. Perhaps, instead of looking at the worst, motivating with virtuous data will give us an extra smile, when we go out with our bag of clothes destined to do also good.
Active recycling, the double life of the clothes
Easy to dispose of few clothes, more complicated when a house is emptied: for this Humana organizes home retreats (Collection of collection.humanaitalia.org). Just like Rifusbrand that in addition to proposing its collections recycled wool or cashmere shirts and even jeans, with home collection services (or leaving them in a container) transforming them into new garments (Rifo-lab.com).
In Rome, with Sant’Egidio, the Ecosolidal city It offers a collection and distribution center of all kinds (clothes, furniture, blankets and even discs). While in Turin, the Dress project collects the donated leaders, selects them and exhibits them in a social emporium where they will be chosen and taken for free. TO Bologna, the solidarity boutique of the project “Reuse for good“ It distributes free clothes for adults, children and babies.
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