Words from NAWL
Fibres – strong threads that can be used to make textiles
sustainable – to describe a system that can continue over the long term, without getting weaker or worse.
conscious – when a person knows what is happening around them, they are conscious.
It’s not easy to make clothes in a sustainable way
A lot of textiles are “mixed fibre”. They have nylon added to them to make them stronger, or elastane (also known as spandex or lycra) added to make them stretchier and more comfortable. Because of this, they are much more difficult to recycle compared with textiles made from a single type of fibre such as cotton or polyester.
Growing plants like cotton to get fibres has a big environmental cost because they require a lot of water.
Artificial fibres are harmful to the environment because they are not biodegradable.