Dr. Hanna Karg
Dr. rer. nat. M.Sc. Geography
+49 (0)6221 4767 120
hanna.karg@ifeu.de
Sven Gärtner
Dipl. Physik Ingenieur (graduate in physical engineering)
+49 (0)6221 4767 64
sven.gaertner@ifeu.de
Guidelines for sustainable clothing and textiles
We need a shift in the textile industry towards the sustainable consumption of clothing. These guidelines show how you can protect the environment and conserve resources by buying, using and passing on clothing more thoughtfully to create a more sustainable wardrobe.
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Purchase: making more informed choices
- Buy less, but more thoughtfully: Question your purchase decisions: do you really need this item? Avoid impulse purchases that will mostly just end up hanging in your wardrobe.
- It's better to go to the shop than to shop online: The advantage of this is that you can try on clothes A major problem is returns, as these items often cannot be resold at the same price.
- Choose durable products: Look for quality in the materials and workmanship. Durable textiles save resources and generate less waste.
- Choose sustainable materials: Opt for textiles with recognised environmental and social labels. Recommended options include organic cotton, lyocell and natural fibres such as hemp. Recycled fibres and single-fibre materials (preferably without elastic fibres) are also preferable as they are easier to recycle. Knitted textiles are preferable to woven fabrics, and unbleached and undyed textiles are preferable to bleached and dyed ones.
- Second-hand is the first choice: Second-hand clothing saves resources and extends the product’s life cycle. Borrowing clothes for special occasions, for example, also reduces the need for new purchases.
- Question fashion trends: Don’t get swept up in fast-changing trends. Instead, build a personal wardrobe that can be easily and variably combined – it's better for both the environment and your sanity.
- Buy less, but more thoughtfully: Question your purchase decisions: do you really need this item? Avoid impulse purchases that will mostly just end up hanging in your wardrobe.
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Use: care and maintanance
- Wash less – clean sensibly: Sometimes, simply airing your clothes is enough instead of washing them. Only wash when necessary, with a full load and at a low temperature.
- Avoid microplastics: Use special laundry bags or filters to reduce the release of microfibres from synthetic fabrics. Avoid garments that shed a particularly high amount of fibres (e.g. fleece).
- Repair rather than replace: Minor damage can often be easily fixed by sewing, patching or taking it to an alteration service. This will significantly extend the garment’s lifespan.
- Wash less – clean sensibly: Sometimes, simply airing your clothes is enough instead of washing them. Only wash when necessary, with a full load and at a low temperature.
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Reuse: closing the loop
- Swap, donate or sell: Pass on clothes in good condition to friends, online, or to charitable organisations. Make use of swap groups and hire schemes, particularly for special occasion wear.
- Dispose of correctly: Textiles do not belong in general waste. Use textile collection points or take-back schemes for well-preserved clothing and home textiles.
- Discover upcycling: Creative reuse can give old textiles a new life, for example by making them into bags or cushion covers.
ÜBER-AUS: Resource-efficient use of surplus and waste materials from the textile industry through the creation of regional recycling loops
The textile industry is one of the most resource-intensive industries. The ÜBER-AUS project is exploring ways to reduce waste from production and logistics while improving its valorisation.
The Key: Chemical recycling of polyester in fibre blends as a key enabler for a holistic, circular textile economy
The project “The Key” promotes the complete recycling of polyester/cotton blended fabrics through an optimized combination of innovative chemical and mechanical recycling processes.
EnaTex - Sustainability & Climate Protection in the textile industry
German-Indonesian Partnership for Climate Protection
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies in Partnership for Climate Protection: Technical innovations and measures are developed from the project and optimised and evaluated according to their impact…
Balance on mass flow, climate change and environmental aspects for the federal province of Berlin in 2020
SKU-balance 2020
The SKU balance has been compiled every two years since 2010. A focus topic of the SKU balance 2020 is the investigation into the generation and treatment of used textiles and e-waste.
DiTex
Digital technologies as enabler of a resource-efficient circular economy: pilot test in the B2B textile industry
Production of textiles from fresh fibres implies environmentally harmful exhaust air and waste water emissions in fibre production and textile finishing. At the same time, these processes consume…