How Shopping as a hobby is affecting planet? what does sustainability means?

 

Going shopping was a need, but in recent days it has become a pleasant activity. Going shopping is fun especially for youth as they got bored faster by using same things and looks for frequest change. 

In my opinion, it is debatable. Although shopping is less stressful these days because in hyper-markets are the one-stop-shop for all daily needs with the huge variety to choose from and air-conditioning shopping mall make it more comfortable without sweat, dust, rain and cold wind. The credit card has made life easy to a certain extent that if you don’t have cash ready in hand you can pay through credit card and the same amount will be paid back to the bank later.

What I feel is not good that people prefer shopping the only best time-pass or having fun. The end result of shopping frequently without reason end up buying extra, which ultimately became a burden at planet due to landfill because of expiry dates of overbuying products or very less use of the merchandise. The habit of unnecessary shopping also brings middle class in financial pressure. This buying extra habit deprives other low-income groups from many things as resources are limited which got wasted by higher income groups.

Another disadvantage is people spent less valuable time with family by playing together or discussing each other issues. The difference in choices also sometimes cause the reason for conflict and in some cases, kids get tempted with a lot of merchandise which goes out of the budget, which ultimately spoils the mood of the family.

Some people who are rich with shopping as a hobby make others feel low as they cannot afford frequent changes in their wardrobes and daily living by adopting the latest technology. The feeling of unequal in financial status creates a distance between friends in the long run. 

Sustainability means wastage of less resources. using more of existing resources rather than shifting to new trends and product which fade fast and push resources to more in landfill. In fashion sector customer must opt those clothing which are made sustainably by choosing eco-friendly and biodegradable fabrics. one of the example is bamboo clothing. to know more about bamboo clothing and shop sustainable merchandise one can visit to www.bamboologytrends.com  

Job satisfaction

It is widely accepted that earning high means higher satisfaction. There are various reasons behind that.

One of the reasons could be the family where individual wish to earn higher to save for kids better higher education which cost huge these days. 2nd could be the uncertainty of the job in today's world globally. People prefer to save money to survive in a jobless time. Especially in developed urban areas buying property or making a home is getting tough day by day individuals make target to initial ten years of career to make their permanent residence to live later life at much ease, Apart from this upgraded version of electronics and gadgets fascinate people to try which push them to earn higher.

Although mass prefers to find a job to satisfy their financial need, also a lot of people look for a job for inner satisfaction. Their moral boost when their work brings the smile at someone face that is the season Nurses, Teachers and social workers work harder to earn respect and true happiness rather than more money.

In conclusion, earning high wages is not the criteria for being happy for all. A sportsperson plays in the national team because it motivates them to serve for here nation. Both types of people are the part of the society, one who works to find joy, motivation or stimulation in their career to be an ever happy and satisfied person, while some earn higher but not get motivation every morning to go back to work.  Money can help us to buy gadgets and cannot bring peace, joy and satisfaction. People spent most of our daytime at the working place and if working hours are not giving satisfaction, indirectly affecting our mental and physical health. So each person target should be to do what makes him a happy person. Success always comes in the way of those people who love to do what they are doing.

"Bamboo" The Best sustainable fiber for Fashion industry

Why Bamboo fabric is superior to other fabrics? 

The thought of sustainability is not new, earlier “Brundtland” Report in 1987 raised a thought process of sustainable development. The Rio Earth Summit, 'green issues' made their way into fashion and textiles publications. Typically these publications featured the work of well-known Clothing companies such as  Patagonia and ESPRIT brands, who in the late 1980s brought environmental concerns into their businesses. A research agenda around sustainable fashion has been in development since the early 1990s. In 1992, the ESPRIT Eco-collection was launched at retail and it was based on the Eco Audit Guide. In 2011 the brand Patagonia ran an advertisement campaign "Don't buy this jacket" with a picture of Patagonia merchandise. This message was intended to encourage people to purchase only what they need to save nature.

In 2019, a group of researchers formed the Union for Concerned Researchers in Fashion to advocate for radical and co-ordinated research activity commensurate with the challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change. In the fall of 2019, the UCRF received the North Star Award at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards, an organization focused on the promotion of sustainability in the fashion industry.

Bamboo in the textile industry is the revolution of sustainability since the past more than a decade. When you consider it, bamboo is a very logical choice of fibre for many items of clothing. As well as having excellent strength, shape stability, washability, colourfastness and being exceptionally comfortable against the skin, bamboo fibre also boasts the following unique properties:

Zero pesticides for Bamboo cultivation: Bamboo has been grown for millennia in Asia without the use of pesticides. It is rarely attacked by any pests and not susceptible to diseases. The reason for this. Bamboo yarns and textiles are produced without the use of dangerous toxic chemicals and no polluting residues remain in the cloth when it finally wears out and is discarded. It comes from nature and is returned to nature in a smooth natural cycle. It has been grown for thousands of years without environmental degradation. This is what is meant by complete sustainability. Very few crops can make this claim. Bamboo grows very fast and reaches its full height of say 20 metres in an incredible 3 months on an average. It has a tensile strength quite similar to mild steel. 

UV rays protection: Bambo has 60% higher UV rays protection than cotton. UV rays cause premature ageing of the skin and signs of sun damage such as wrinkles, leathery skin, liver spots, actinic keratosis, and solar elastosis. Indirectly we can say it is anti-ageing and protect skin and hairs health. The countries have higher UV levels are Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina New Zealand and Australia. These have the highest incidence rate for melanoma in the world. 

Bamboo has Anti-Bacterial properties: Japanese scientists have found, is a unique anti-bacterial agent of bamboo named “bamboo kun”. This substance, combined with the tight molecular structure of bamboo fibres, are believed to give it its anti-bacterial and bacteriostatic properties – which is not diminished even after more than 50 washes! Introduced bacteria on the bamboo fabric were reduced to less than 0.2% of the introduced number in 24 hours whilst introduced bacteria on cotton fabric multiplied to 550 times the introduced number, also in 24 hours. Post Covid-19 societies are very conscious about health and looking forward to anti-bacterial and healthy lifestyle products.

Bamboo is Anti Odour: Body odour results from gases produced by bacteria which live on the waste which is exuded from our bodies – sweat and dead skin cells which our bodies give off constantly as a perfectly natural part of living. Some people have much smellier feet and underarms than most because they shed more dead cells from their feet and underarms than others or they have specific personal bacteria which give off that offensive smell. In such a situation, Bamboo products are the right choice from intimate wear, Innerwear to sportswear. In Bamboo products, any moisture (sweat) is immediately absorbed and taken away from the skin

There is a lot more to do in terms of using Bamboo in the textile industry. Till now industry is working at core items and basic need. Organic vegetable dyes and printing can make the bamboo fabric fit more into delivering fashion and style. Fibre is soft, limp and drape able. It can fit very well to produce a Sustainable luxury classic product for long-lasting uses. Bamboo is not only best for human health but also best for the planet. The bamboos growing play an important role in soil nutrient buildup and maintenance of soil fertility. The nutrient cycling in bamboo forests had shown improvement in soil fertility due to its vigorous growth and litter production. The process of growing bamboo versus growing cotton is much less water-intensive. Bamboo requires one-third the amount of water to grow than is necessary for cotton.

 I am really happy to see the initiative taken by www.bamboologytrends.com to launch bamboo clothing for today's active women. 

Zero waste management in Fashion and lifestyle

Zero Waste management: Zero waste means saving resources and nature by not letting resources waste, but also using the same resource multiple times.

 

Zero Waste in the Textile Industry at the design stage can help a lot to reduce global waste. To produce merchandise with zero-waste strategy garment has to be designed post checking fabric width and print layout to make a pattern which will have maximum coverage. Simultaneously another product could be adjusted within waste during the cutting stage rather than thinking later. In such a way new product which has been adjusted in waste is the bonus which not only reduces landfill and saves resources like water and energy which already has been invested in growing crop and producing fabric and dying or printing with chemicals to retail colors for last long. As we know 20,000 liters is the amount of water needed to produce one kilogram of cotton, despite that average waste of fabric during cutting stage in the fashion industry is more than 25%. Saving this 25% can reduce further damage to our earth by 25% every year. This is only one side of the coin.

 

On the other each year more than US$ 700 Billion textile merchandise goes in landfill which could reach to poor nations and community within the country. We as a responsible member of society should collect used garment and collaborate with NGO for redistribution post refinishing. The product which could not be reused can be handover to mills for recycling. To make this a big movement Retailors can play a major role by keeping a bin outside the store where customer can drop used garment while coming for the new purchase. In this network NGO and fabric Mill will collaborate with retail brands to reuse and recycle waste textile. This will be a win-win situation for all.

Every year government is investing a good amount of money at waste management which could be used in other development programs. This is our money which has been collected from taxable income to uplift the nation which we are wasting first by buying extra and then throwing in bins to increase investment in waste management. On the other hand, the government is also struggling to fulfill basic needs of below poverty line. Government is helping the poor community by providing Ration (food items at a very nominal rate), but not clothing. Here we as responsible citizens can take initiative by providing them used clothing through some organized or unorganized Chanel.

Apart from textile, there are other items like packaged or packed food which we should say no because these plastic-packaged foods are full of toxins and plastic packaging the material could be recycled only once then it is bound to go in the landfill. More invention has to be done in rubber products which is an organic source from plant and can be decomposed. Rather than using plastic bags, we must use fabric bags and metal container at the time of shopping. I appreciate Mother dairy initiative of selling milk without polybags where customer carries their vessel to collect milk post inserting a coin. Few other milk brands use reusable glass bottles to distribute milk and exchange every 2nd day. Low value-packed food like chips and other namkeen are creating a big chunk of recycled plastic. We must say a big no to such products which are affecting our immunity badly. Aluminium foil should be replaced with fabric napkins. We must say a big no to one-time use products. Paper napkins should be replaced with a reusable handkerchief to save trees. There could be various ways to save nature and indirectly save our self as well as our future generation from this global warming. In this direction, electronic companies should behave responsibly by making good quality products for long-lasting. We should not dump our mobiles and other electronics every few years. These waste are not only causing economic loss but also creating Electromagnetic radiation which is causing cancer also disturbing earth.