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.