It is estimated that up to 500,000 tonnes of microplastics enter our oceans each year from synthetic fibres. These fibres cause harm to our ecosystems and animals, as well as to human beings. But, did you know that this number can be drastically reduced through consumers making more responsible choices with their wardrobes?
This blog post will explore how sustainable clothing can help to protect our oceans and their ecosystems.
Fast Fashion’s Tide of Pollution
Purchasing fast fashion is second nature to many consumers – it’s low cost, it’s easily accessible. But beneath the surface, the impact of fast fashion is catastrophic. Fibres in garments, waste in landfills and everything in between in the lifecycle of a fast fashion garment contribute to ocean pollution in a number of different ways. In fact the fashion industry accounts for 20% of industrial water pollution.
Alex Franklin, Co-founder of A.M. Custom Clothing said, “Fast fashion’s true cost isn’t found on a price tag, it’s paid by our oceans, our ecosystems, and the people who depend on them. Every cheap, disposable garment adds to a growing tide of pollution that we can no longer afford to ignore.”
Microplastics
Every time we wash our garments that are made from synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon,small plastic fibres called microplastics enter our waters. According to EEA, a single wash cycle can release up to 700,000 microfibers, and the majority of shedding occurs within the first few washes. Once in the ocean, these particles are consumed by marine life, working their way up the food chain and ultimately ending up back on our plates.
Chemical Runoff
The vibrant colours and finishes that cross the shelves of fast fashion are causing just as much harm to our oceans. This is because many mass-produced garments are treated using hazardous chemicals, and in many production regions around the world, the wastewater containing these chemicals is released into waterways, causing much harm to our ecosystem.
Waste: Mountains of Clothing, Coastal Consequences
Fast fashion leads to overconsumption, primarily because garments are made up of cheap and low-quality materials, meaning they have a shorter lifespan. This short lifespan equates to millions of items of clothing being sent to landfill each year. A lesser-known fact is that the UK exports hundreds of thousands of tonnes of used textiles to countries such as Africa each year. Much of which piles up in dumpsites near the coast, and is often swept into the ocean during bad weather, further polluting our marine life.
The evidence is already mounting – each fast fashion purchase has a ripple effect on our marine ecosystem, and without changing our purchasing habits, our oceans will continue to suffer.
The Sustainable Alternative: Turning the Tide
In recent years, consumers have begun to shop more consciously and the need for sustainable products is ever-growing. This growing need is changing the way that clothing is produced. Sustainable innovation is reshaping the materials used, production processes and even consumption patterns. By following suit and adapting to environmentally friendly supply chains, the fashion industry can help to restore balance to our oceans.
Organic Cotton: Clean Clothes, Cleaner Oceans
Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms. This helps reduce water pollution and chemical runoff often associated with conventional cotton farming and fast fashion.
Organic cotton crops are cultivated in a more natural and sustainable way, protecting soil health and surrounding waterways. Many farms rely primarily on rainwater and avoid harmful agrochemicals that can end up in rivers and seas.
By choosing organic cotton, both businesses and consumers can play a part in reducing pollution and helping to protect our oceans.
Recycled Fibres: Giving Waste a Second Life
Shockingly, the UK uses over 35 million plastic bottles every day. Turning plastic waste into recycled clothing and accessories helps reduce the amount ending up in landfill or the environment.
Recycled polyester (rPET), made from post-consumer plastics such as bottles or recovered ocean plastics, offers a better alternative to virgin polyester, requiring less energy to produce and generating fewer carbon emissions. However, as a synthetic fibre, it can still release microfibres that may harm marine life.
That’s why, where possible, natural fibres are often the more sustainable choice. Recycled polyester still has an important role to play, particularly when durability or performance are essential, such as sportswear or PPE, but opting for natural alternatives supports a more circular and environmentally responsible fashion industry.
Low-Impact Dyes and Closed-Loop Systems
Production processes that incorporate low-impact dyes can play a crucial role in protecting our waters. Low-impact dyes use less water and avoid heavy metals and toxic chemicals, while closed-loop water systems filter and reuse water within production facilities, preventing contamination of local waterways.
Some sustainable factories now recycle up to 90% of their wastewater, drastically cutting the volume of polluted discharge that reaches rivers and oceans. These technologies demonstrate how innovation can go hand in hand with environmental care.
A Conscious Choice for the Oceans
Collectively, these sustainable choices throughout the supply chain create a ripple effect that filters through into our oceans, aiding in improving the health of our oceans.
The Sustainable Clothing Ripple Effect
So, what can brands do to create their own ripple effect within the clothing industry? Rethinking aspects of the supply chain is a good place to start.
Ethical Sourcing and Certified Sustainable Fabrics
Strive to work exclusively with ethically sourced, certified sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and other low-impact fibres. Equally as important, ensure that every garment is produced in compliance with globally recognised standards.
Local and Regional Production to Reduce Emissions
Aim to manufacture your products locally which will significantly reduce transport-related carbon emissions compared to overseas supply chains. Local production will also allow for faster turnaround times, tighter quality control and greater visibility into working conditions.
Partnerships and Certifications that Build Trust
Back up your commitment to accountability by partnering with leading sustainability certifications, including:
● GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) – ensuring organic fibres and environmentally responsible processes.
● Fair Wear Foundation – promoting safe, fair, and dignified working conditions.
● Carbon Neutral and Climate Positive initiatives – measuring and offsetting emissions across operations.
Empowering Conscious Consumers
So, what are some practical choices you can make as a consumer to help protect our oceans?
1. Look for certifications
When shopping, look for ethically approved certifications on your products. Some examples of such may include GOTS, Fairtrade Foundation or Fair Wear Foundation.
2. Choose quality over quantity
A high-quality product may require a higher initial cost, but it’s an investment that will have a longer life cycle. Buy fewer, higher-quality products that do not lose quality after washing.
3. Repair and recycle
The famous saying – reduce, reuse, recycle! Invest in a sewing kit and repair old garments. Alternatively, if you no longer have use for an item, resell them on apps such as Vinted or drop them off at a recycling centre to ensure they are reused or disposed of responsibly.
Making small changes as a consumer can have a big impact on our ocean and environment.
Beyond the Shore: The Broader Impact of Ethical Fashion
Sustainable fashion doesn’t just help to protect our oceans, it’s a ripple effect through all areas of the fashion supply chain.
Improving Working Conditions
Ethically certified supply chains ensure that workers are treated fairly, and paid fairly and in safe working conditions. By demanding transparency and supporting brands that uphold fair labour standards, businesses and consumers help shift the industry toward long-term social justice. Every responsibly made garment contributes to better livelihoods and a more equitable global economy.
Supporting Local Economies and Coastal Communities
Supporting local production can reduce the reliance of off-shore manufacturing, strengthening local economies. In coastal regions, reducing pollution and textile waste directly benefits communities whose livelihoods depend on clean waters – from fishing to tourism.
Encouraging a Culture of Responsibility
Consumers are easily influenced. When brands, content creators and even friends and family invest in ethical produce, others are inspired to do so. Sustainability creates momentum.
As outlined, the fashion industry has a huge impact on our ocean’s health and cleanliness, but as consumers, we hold the power to create change. By demanding transparency, influencing our peers and supporting ethical production, we can make positive steps to reduce the flow of microplastics into our waters.
Kelly Redican
Kelly is a passionate Marketing Coordinator at A.M. Custom Clothing. With an in-depth knowledge of sustainable design and branding, combined with years in the print industry, she helps translate our knowledge and wisdom into practical insights. Kelly’s role is pivotal in ensuring businesses have access to the guidance they need to make impactful, informed decisions when it comes to sustainability, marketing and custom clothing.