CHAPTER 2
The Impact of Going Non-Sustainable, and What Sustainability Really Means
I want to discuss a term that has become a bit of a buzzword in fashion - and beyond: Sustainability.
It’s easy to dismiss the word as just another marketing gimmick, but the reality is, sustainability [or the lack thereof] has very real consequences. When brands choose not to take sustainability seriously, the impact extends far beyond trendy hashtags and greenwashed packaging. It means more waste, more pollution, and more harm to the planet and the people who live on it.
It is a challenge to know nowadays what sustainability means and how to achieve gold standard. But the thing is, we don't need perfection, but rather we need to strive to do better, because we can!
The Cost of Non-Sustainable Fashion
The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world. Here’s what happens when brands ignore sustainability:
Textile Waste Overload
The fashion industry produces approximately 92 million tonnes of textile waste annually. To put this into perspective, that's the equivalent of a garbage truck full of clothes being burned or dumped in a landfill every second.
Water Crisis
The production of textiles is notoriously water-intensive. For instance, it takes about 2,700 liters of water to make just one cotton t-shirt [ti out it in perspective, that's enough drinking water for one person for over two years]. The industry is responsible for 20% of global water waste, with dyeing and finishing processes significantly contributing to water pollution. The mind boggles...
Microplastic Pollution
Non-sustainable swimwear made from virgin synthetics sheds microplastics into the ocean every time it’s washed. These tiny plastic particles are ingested by marine life, entering the food chain and posing health risks to humans. It's estimated that half a million tons of microplastics from textiles end up in the ocean each year.
Unethical Labor Practices
Fast fashion often relies on cheap, exploitative labour, with workers subjected to unsafe conditions and unfair wages. This not only raises ethical concerns but also perpetuates social inequalities. A sustainable approach ensures fair wages and ethical working conditions for those who make our clothes.
In our small way, at TAMA we want to take all these factors into account, and although we haven't been able to achieve full sustainability [whatever that exactly means] this remains a focus of ours. Are we going to be ever fully sustainable? Unfortunately I'm afraid no. But are going to try? Hell yeah!
HOW?
Material research
We use a fabric made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon”.
ECONYL® regenerated nylon is made by recovering nylon waste such as fishing nets from the oceans and aquaculture, fabric scraps from mills, carpets destined for landfill and industrial plastic. Through a radical regeneration and purification process, the nylon waste is recycled right back to its original purity, and it is processed into fossil-based quality nylon yarn for the fashion and interior industries.
I love fashion and when I started this brand I wanted to bring some consciously created pieces that look great AND don't contribute to polluting our oceans.
To give you an idea of the impact that fashion has on the Earth, I've added some links so you can see for yourself:
Earth.Org: Offers articles with images depicting the scale of textile waste and its environmental impact earth.org
European Parliament News: Provides infographics on the environmental impact of textile production and waste europarl.europa.eu
The Roundup: Features statistics and visuals on textile waste, highlighting the urgency of the issue theroundup.org
Sustainability isn’t just a selling point; it’s a responsibility. One that we take seriously, without the fluff, the greenwashing, or the empty promises.
Because fashion shouldn’t cost the earth - literally.
