With the more extensive sales of fast fashion, the amount of textile waste in the world is even more concerning. Quoted from Fibre2Fashion, in 2020 alone, around 18.6 million tons of textile waste was dumped in landfills which then ended up in the ocean. On average, consumers also throw away 60% of their clothes just a year after buying. If this continues, by 2050 textile waste worldwide will reach 300 million tons. Definitely not an ideal future for this earth.
Textile Waste in Indonesia
Then what about the condition of textile waste in Indonesia? Just as worrying. Research conducted by YouGov noted that 66% of Indonesian adults threw away at least one of their clothes and 25% threw away more than 10 of their clothes in a year. Not to mention, 41% of Indonesian millennials are the biggest consumers of fast fashion products. Not surprisingly, in 2018 the Zero Waste Indonesia community found that textile waste in the Indonesian seas was more than plastic waste, which was 80% of the total waste collected. National Geographic, March 2020: The End of The Trash also noted that of the 57% of waste in Jakarta, around 8.2% is textile waste.
Textile waste in Indonesia does not only come from consumers but also manufacturers. As one of the largest industries in the country, fashion contributes the second-largest gas emission and water pollution after the oil industry in its production. Nexus3Foundation even noted that there are 1,000 garment factories that dumped various toxic chemicals from their products into the Citarum River.
Switch to Sustainable Fashion
In addition to encouraging producers to focus more on processing textile waste, we as consumers can also take part in reducing it. One of them is by applying 5R (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle). We can also start switching to sustainable fashion. Not only clothes, but this sustainable fashion concept can also be applied to shoes, bags, and accessories. This can be done by reducing purchases, choosing a quality and durable fashion products, or those whose designs are suitable for various eras or trends. Mix and match old products to meet trends can also be a way to apply the concept of sustainable fashion.
Currently, there are many environmentally friendly fashion brands in Indonesia. Usually, eco-friendly fashion brands produce products with good waste treatment. Ensure efficient and careful use of natural resources (water, soil, biodiversity, energy, etc.) The selected energy source is also renewable at each stage of its production. In addition, sustainable fashion manufacturers also maximize the repair, remanufacture, reuse, and recycling of their products and components. Some of them:
- Sejauh Mata Memandang: uses recycled and animal-free materials.
- Kana Goods: uses natural materials and aims to reduce textile waste by producing one-size-fits-all products.
- Pijakbumi: footwear made from recycled rubber tires.
- Style Theory Indonesia: a fashion rental of well-known brands.
- Cinta Bumi Artisans: uses natural materials and efficient cutting techniques to reduce textile waste.