3 Unique ways to tackle the adverse effects of textile waste

Fashion did some soul searching and came back with a manual on how to deal with textile waste, and this is our conclusion. With World Earth Day just around the corner, we note three unique ways brands are using textile waste, further elevating the idea of ​​sustainability.

Recycle, reduce and reuse – three words that children had previously stuffed into school textbooks are now part of a wider conversation entitled: Sustainability. Especially when it comes to fashion, the dialogue around sustainability has taken a new turn, and fortunately an effective one. Globally, the term was recognized early on and India may have been late to the party, but as they say, ‘better late than never’. India certainly started to make progress both nationally and internationally, but the question of whether or not that clothing is ethically made is what marks the rise of sustainable practices in India today. As an avid follower of trends and fashion, I often wondered what happens to the garments left behind, and that was the first time I realized how harmful textile waste is. After months/years of obsessing over some garments, you make them unusable, but fashion begs to differ and believes that nothing is unusable! And so the idea of ​​transformation in style comes about.

At the end of each year, tons and tons of textile waste, also known as deadstock, are found, making the textile industry one of the leading contributors to greenhouse gases. So the moral of the story: be creative and reuse the dead stock until it is no longer considered waste. That said, in celebration of International Earth Day, we’ve discovered three unique ways textile waste can be used, and trust me, you have no idea how quickly those rags can turn into riches!

You didn’t know it, but textile waste can turn into…

…bricks (yes, literal wall bricks)

Imagine tearing up old clothes and turning them into bricks. Yes, we know it is difficult to register, but brands like FabBRICK do this on a large scale. Speaking of unique ways to tackle textile waste, this one has caught our attention lately. Based in Paris, FabBRICK reuses textile waste collected from various companies and turns them into bricks made from shredded clothing and bound together by vegan glue, followed by a complicated process. I never knew that interior design could also benefit from textile waste, but now I know, and so can you!

…clothes (yes, again)

As difficult as this may sound, it has proven to be a useful technique for preventing fabric waste. The key word here is: reimagine! Use old clothes to make new ones. From acclaimed Indian couturiers to brands like Doodlage, Ahluwalia, Save As, Studio Mend and more, they give new life to existing material. Whether it concerns patchwork, reusing leftovers or simply refurbishing the same old collection. So yes, fabric waste can be used to make new clothes, over and over again.

…paper (write down what you once wore)

How can you save paper and avoid textile waste? Well, that’s simple: put the two together! Let’s just say if I were writing a letter to the fashion gods, this would be my notebook. Textile waste can also be converted into handmade paper, and brand names like Kalpana Handmade Paper in India are proof of this. Known for producing over 400 types of handmade paper, the fabric waste paper caught our attention. Torn into the finest pieces, using heavy machinery with a complicated step-by-step procedure is the way we get our old clothes turned into paper.

So the bottom line is that you should think twice (or more) before throwing away old clothes. You never know that those old rags could just become something new for you.

Hero and Featured Image: Courtesy of FabBRICK/IG.