By Erica Peterson
We all hear about different ways fast fashion is polluting the air and clothes getting dumped in piles within remote areas. But what is important to know is that the fashion industry has increasingly affected our marine life and ocean all together. Through the overload of microfibers and wastewater, our oceans' health has been deteriorating. As hopeless as this sounds, there are things us consumers can do to make this less of a problem.
You probably think doing your laundry weekly is not a big deal, it may be a hassle and you feel lazy but you do not think of it as a way of hurting our oceans. Believe it or not, “Every time your clothes are washed they shed tiny plastic fibers called microfibers. The average wash cycle releases 700,000 microfibers into the water system. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic are among the biggest culprits.
These microfibers are so small, water treatment plants and filters can’t catch them all, so they end up making their way into our oceans and rivers” according to Fashion and the Free. It is also noted that most of the debris you see washed up in the shoreline in the summertime is 85% synthetic fibers from humans washing their clothes. Sea animals also often mistake this debris as food for them, and end up ingesting toxins instead.
When it comes to waste water, the fashion industry is responsible for 20% of the Earth's wastewater. Fashion and the Free states, “Many clothes using dyeing and finishing processes rely on toxic chemicals which can affect the health of workers, and leach out into rivers and groundwater systems - degrading the land, compromising drinking water and killing fish”. Water is heavily consumed when washing cotton garments, only one t-shirt uses 2,700 liters of water.
The tasks that consumers can pick up to help save our oceans may seem repetitive, but they are very important. The first task is to shop consciously, buying longer lasting items that are made more organically are increasingly better for our environment and especially our oceans specifically. The second task is to prioritize doing your laundry less often… yes. That small coffee stain at the end of your sleeve, no one will notice! Only wash your clothes when it is absolutely necessary, it will actually save you some time to be productive in another aspect of your life anyways. And remember, fashion will always be here, our ocean may not be if we do not take care of her.
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