Companies unveil radical fix for global crisis caused by fashion industry: 'Our goal is to be a regular provider'
Amazingly, the clothes that fill our closets are from an industry with a pollution burden of up to 10% of planet-warming gases, which exceeds aviation and shipping combined, according to Bloomberg.
The news outlet recently recognized a couple of startups that are tackling some of the most polluting parts of the textile and fast fashion sectors. The efforts are coming out of Appalachia and the City of Lights. Danville, Virginia's Circ has a process to recycle mixed-fiber fabrics, many of which contain cotton and plastic polyester. The latter material is created with fossil fuels. They are hard to recycle, according to Bloomberg.
Paris-based EverDye has cleaned up the coloring process with a fascinating non-toxic electrostatic method with "no heat and short amounts of time," per the company.
"Our goal is to be a regular provider of dyes in the supply chain," operations head Victor Durand said.
Both are BloombergNEF Pioneers award winners.
Fast fashion describes the loads of clothing that are sold to trend-seekers. The duds are part of the $1.7 trillion global industry of cheap garments that are often considered disposable. Apparel consumption is expected to hit 102 million tons by 2030. It already generates 20% of global wastewater and leaves heaps of junk fabrics in landfills and elsewhere, according to McKinsey & Co. and Earth.org.
Circ's recycling process uses chemistry. A water solvent and pressure is used to break down polyester molecules. They can then be separated from cotton. It's all purified, ready to be made into new clothes. It's a solution that answers fast fashion's waste problems with expedient recycling, per Bloomberg.
EverDye is changing the energy-intensive, heat-based dyeing process. Its replacement method uses room-temperature water. The experts positively charge the mineral dye particles, which adhere to negatively charged fabrics without additives or high heat. The charge consideration isn't part of common dye methods that require binders. Some heat is used at the end to seal the color, according to the report.
The textile-related innovations aren't alone. Breakthroughs in electronics are addressing the growing amounts of toxic e-waste we make each year. In Germany, Electrocycling GmbH is using artificial intelligence to help tackle the problem. London's Jiva Materials can dissolve old circuit boards in hot water.
On the textile side, shoppers can help by shifting from fast fashion. Buying better-made clothes can save you hundreds of dollars a year because they last longer. Shopping at thrift stores can give new life to still-great clothing, and you can even uncover rare finds. But if shoppers keep a turn-and-burn, trendy mindset, the benefits can be lost.
What should the government do about the fast fashion industry?
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Supporting eco-friendly brands that use cleaner materials and dyes can also result in savings while preventing pollution.
Circ has secured investments and is seeking commitments from brands to use its recycled materials. EverDye can produce brown, orange, and yellow fabrics. Experts are working on blue, black, and red. The company is seeking investments and partners, as well, according to Bloomberg.
Both companies are poised for growth.
We are "refining and developing our process to ensure that our materials are better than virgin, from a greenhouse impact," Circ President Peter Majeranowski said.
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