Exploring the Lifespan of Your Wardrobe
A Journey from Production to Sustainability
Our most cherished garments often hold special stories, whether received as a gift or worn during significant events. But have you ever pondered the narrative of your clothing before it graced your wardrobe?
The life of a garment is anything but mundane. From the cultivation of fibers to textile production, design, and fabrication, through transportation to retail sales, each piece of clothing embodies a tale woven with effort and imagination. Our goal at Coco Laundry is to educate and help extend the life of your clothes with our full line of laundry services in Signal Hill, CA and the South Bay.
Clothing Production
In historical times, people treasured garments for extended periods. However, the prevalence of inexpensive clothing has led many societies worldwide to view clothing as disposable. This shift is fueled by the staggering production of approximately 150 billion garments annually in the global fashion industry—equivalent to about 20 items per person.
Cotton, a ubiquitous raw material, features in 60% of women's garments and 75% of men's garments globally. Once harvested, cotton fibers are spun into fabric and tailored to specific design requirements.
The fabric then journeys to clothing manufacturers responsible for production and fabrication. After completion, garments are dispatched to distribution centers, awaiting transportation to retail locations.
The Lifecycle of a Garment: Beyond the Purchase
Post-purchase, a garment may be worn once, dozens of times, or never at all before facing disposal, repurposing, or recycling.
While data on the average number of times garments are worn remains limited, a survey of nearly 2,000 women revealed that most fashion purchases see the outside of the wardrobe merely seven times. Astonishingly, Americans discarded 14 million tons of clothing in 2018, contributing to the 82 pounds of waste generated by the average American annually from discarded clothes.
Compounding this issue, over 60% of fabric fibers are now oil-based synthetics, posing a threat to the environment when disposed of in landfills due to their non-degradable nature.
Addressing the Issue at the Micro Level
The colossal scale of this problem originates from individual actions. How often you wear your garments and how you dispose of them influence the lifespan of your clothing.
The Council for Textile Recycling reports that nearly half of used clothing is donated by the public. A simple act like donating your clothing, rather than discarding it, significantly impacts the lifecycle of your garments. Rinse offers free clothing donation pickups during scheduled pickups, providing a convenient way to extend the life of your garments by sharing them with others.
To combat excessive clothing waste, aim to wear your garments at least 30 times. Proper care and cleaning are crucial in achieving this goal. Use cold water when washing clothes to prevent color bleeding and fading while preserving fiber strength and integrity.
Switching to low heat in the dryer, or working with services like Rinse or your local cleaner, further enhances garment longevity and reduces the risk of shrinkage and malformation over multiple cleanings.
Next time you don your favorite garment, reflect not only on its origin but also on its future. Choosing to prolong the life of your garments is a decision that extends benefits beyond your wardrobe, contributing to a more sustainable fashion ecosystem and don’t forget to consider a local laundromat in Signal Hill, CA and Long Beach!
