This is my confession. I cannot resist cheap clothes. Primark (which is a very affordable fashion retailer by the way) seems to have a magnetic force which pulls me in. The force is especially strong when there's a big red SALE sign in the window. I just get sucked into this huge shop full of poorly made clothes. I look at all that synthetic fabric, in all the pretty colours, and I just can't help myself. It's a disease. I just can't seem to kick the habit. I know that what I'm doing is wrong, but I keep on doing it. I keep going in there and buying their cheap clothes. Help me! The prices are just too low for me to resist!
Why is this a moral dilemma for me? I'll tell you why. Firstly, synthetic fabrics are terrible for the environment. They're really terrible. Synthetic fabrics are made using a number of complex chemical processes and treatments. Polyester, nylon and similar fabrics are made from petroleum, causing a lot of energy consumption and pollution. Synthetic fabrics may be alluring because they're hard-wearing and last long, but remember they are also remarkably slow to decay in landfill. Besides being bad for the environment, synthetic fabrics are also harmful to wear. Synthetic fabrics are full of poisonous chemicals, deisgned to make them stain resistant, wrinkle free, flame retardant, and resistant to moths. All these chemicals seep out of the fabric in a vapour, surrounding you in a poisonous gas. Most of us have no idea how harmful our clothes are, as only a small percentage are sensitive enough to notice the vapour. You can't wash this stuff out of your clothes, the volatile organic compounds continue to give off a dangerous vapour for years on end. What do you think the health effects are? Allergies, respiratory and skin problems, immune system disruption, and even hormonal imbalance are all side effects of wearing synthetic fabrics. Polycrylonitriles, which are found in acrylic materials, are thought to be carcinogenic agents. This might even mean that your clothes can give you cancer! Yeah, I'm not even joking, this is for real. It's not just your clothes, it's your soft furnishings, your carpets, your curtains, your bedding. You sleep in that stuff. It's not cool.
Even if you bought all natural fabrics, the production process still causes pollution. Washing and ironing also consumes a lot of energy. So really, what you have to start asking yourself is whether you need quite so many clothes, and whether you need to wash and iron them quite as much. If you can cut down on these things, you're doing Mother Earth a big favour. I know these things, and still I find it a great struggle to combat my desire for the latest fashion. I go through this never ending cycle of filling my wardrobe up with poorly made clothes, in cuts and colours that I will later decide that I don't actually like, only to purge my wardrobe of all the unwanted items and give them to charity. I feel good about giving stuff to charity, but I feel terrible about going out and buying yet more of the same old crap. I just wish I had the determination to fill my wardrobe with beautiful natural fabrics which I will love for decades upon decades. All this wishy thinking boils down to the fact that I need to be firm with myself. I need to restrain myself from the endless cycle of mindless consumerism, and think hard about what I spend my money on. How you spend your money really matters. It doesn't just affect your bank balance, it affects the WORLD. Be that brave soul who stands up to all the insanity. Stand up and opt out of the majority mentality. Do you have the guts to be different?
Next time you feel you *need* to buy a garment, try vintage, second hand or charity shops. Buying old clothes means that the demand for new clothes decreases, and the less clothes are made, the happier our environment is. If your old clothes are showing some wear and tear, try patching them up. Learn to sew. Can you fix your old clothes? Are you ok with looking like a patchwork hippy? You know there's a reason hippies wear patchwork, and it's because they're trying to be kind to the environment! Search for recycled clothing and accessories, and you will find all kinds of awesome looking stuff. While you are shopping, make sure you build up a nice collection of reusable tote bags, and always bring one with you so you won't end up with an armful of plastic carrier bags. Let's do this together. If we remind each other all the time to make wise choices, to stop and think about our purchases, we can really make a different in the world. Are you with me?
Why is this a moral dilemma for me? I'll tell you why. Firstly, synthetic fabrics are terrible for the environment. They're really terrible. Synthetic fabrics are made using a number of complex chemical processes and treatments. Polyester, nylon and similar fabrics are made from petroleum, causing a lot of energy consumption and pollution. Synthetic fabrics may be alluring because they're hard-wearing and last long, but remember they are also remarkably slow to decay in landfill. Besides being bad for the environment, synthetic fabrics are also harmful to wear. Synthetic fabrics are full of poisonous chemicals, deisgned to make them stain resistant, wrinkle free, flame retardant, and resistant to moths. All these chemicals seep out of the fabric in a vapour, surrounding you in a poisonous gas. Most of us have no idea how harmful our clothes are, as only a small percentage are sensitive enough to notice the vapour. You can't wash this stuff out of your clothes, the volatile organic compounds continue to give off a dangerous vapour for years on end. What do you think the health effects are? Allergies, respiratory and skin problems, immune system disruption, and even hormonal imbalance are all side effects of wearing synthetic fabrics. Polycrylonitriles, which are found in acrylic materials, are thought to be carcinogenic agents. This might even mean that your clothes can give you cancer! Yeah, I'm not even joking, this is for real. It's not just your clothes, it's your soft furnishings, your carpets, your curtains, your bedding. You sleep in that stuff. It's not cool.
Even if you bought all natural fabrics, the production process still causes pollution. Washing and ironing also consumes a lot of energy. So really, what you have to start asking yourself is whether you need quite so many clothes, and whether you need to wash and iron them quite as much. If you can cut down on these things, you're doing Mother Earth a big favour. I know these things, and still I find it a great struggle to combat my desire for the latest fashion. I go through this never ending cycle of filling my wardrobe up with poorly made clothes, in cuts and colours that I will later decide that I don't actually like, only to purge my wardrobe of all the unwanted items and give them to charity. I feel good about giving stuff to charity, but I feel terrible about going out and buying yet more of the same old crap. I just wish I had the determination to fill my wardrobe with beautiful natural fabrics which I will love for decades upon decades. All this wishy thinking boils down to the fact that I need to be firm with myself. I need to restrain myself from the endless cycle of mindless consumerism, and think hard about what I spend my money on. How you spend your money really matters. It doesn't just affect your bank balance, it affects the WORLD. Be that brave soul who stands up to all the insanity. Stand up and opt out of the majority mentality. Do you have the guts to be different?
Next time you feel you *need* to buy a garment, try vintage, second hand or charity shops. Buying old clothes means that the demand for new clothes decreases, and the less clothes are made, the happier our environment is. If your old clothes are showing some wear and tear, try patching them up. Learn to sew. Can you fix your old clothes? Are you ok with looking like a patchwork hippy? You know there's a reason hippies wear patchwork, and it's because they're trying to be kind to the environment! Search for recycled clothing and accessories, and you will find all kinds of awesome looking stuff. While you are shopping, make sure you build up a nice collection of reusable tote bags, and always bring one with you so you won't end up with an armful of plastic carrier bags. Let's do this together. If we remind each other all the time to make wise choices, to stop and think about our purchases, we can really make a different in the world. Are you with me?
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts )O(