1margd
I'm beginning to rethink future purchases of clothes, however apparently cheap at outset.
"...In 2013 alone, Americans discarded 15.1 million tons of clothing and other textiles, and 85 percent of that wound up in landfills....Americans recycled some 2.3 million tons of textile waste. That brought a reduction in greenhouse gases equivalent to taking 1.2 million cars off the road for an entire year..." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-trashing-old-clothes-is-so-bad-for-the-e...
Even textiles donated to charity can end up in landfills. Those that go to poor countries can depress local businesses.
Polyester apparently has its own issues. Apparently, the long-lasting fibers lost in the washing machine are detected in river- and lakebeds. Moreover, blends are not easily recycled.
And even natural fibers, which will degrade eventually (producing methane, a greenhouse gas) are costly to produce and transport. Actual costs are not reflected on price tags.
Don't know if I'll go as far as darning wool socks as my mom once did? I will use what I have, though, and think a bit more carefully before buying more.
"...In 2013 alone, Americans discarded 15.1 million tons of clothing and other textiles, and 85 percent of that wound up in landfills....Americans recycled some 2.3 million tons of textile waste. That brought a reduction in greenhouse gases equivalent to taking 1.2 million cars off the road for an entire year..." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-trashing-old-clothes-is-so-bad-for-the-e...
Even textiles donated to charity can end up in landfills. Those that go to poor countries can depress local businesses.
Polyester apparently has its own issues. Apparently, the long-lasting fibers lost in the washing machine are detected in river- and lakebeds. Moreover, blends are not easily recycled.
And even natural fibers, which will degrade eventually (producing methane, a greenhouse gas) are costly to produce and transport. Actual costs are not reflected on price tags.
Don't know if I'll go as far as darning wool socks as my mom once did? I will use what I have, though, and think a bit more carefully before buying more.
22wonderY
I hadn't bought polyester fleece until two years ago when I discovered fleece-lined leggings. Oh! My! I stayed warm for the first winter of my 60 years. I bought them by the dozens and passed them out to all my family and friends, including some of the men.
Then I read about the micro-fiber pollution. Sigh.
My solution is to hand wash (which I was already doing anyway, to keep them in good shape longer) and dispose of the wash water on my own property in a garden pit, so that I am containing my own fibers and not contributing to the waterways pollution.
There is a balance I try to reach. I keep my thermostat much lower than most people, so my carbon footprint is smaller. I do buy most of my clothing second hand, and I wear them out completely.
It is hard to not acquire more clothing. It's fun to have something new (to you) to put on. But our world certainly has more than enough clothing to last all of us for many years, if the manufacturers disappeared overnight.
Adding an article, just so I can do a bit more research later
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2015-10-20/laundering-that-fleece-sweate...
Then I read about the micro-fiber pollution. Sigh.
My solution is to hand wash (which I was already doing anyway, to keep them in good shape longer) and dispose of the wash water on my own property in a garden pit, so that I am containing my own fibers and not contributing to the waterways pollution.
There is a balance I try to reach. I keep my thermostat much lower than most people, so my carbon footprint is smaller. I do buy most of my clothing second hand, and I wear them out completely.
It is hard to not acquire more clothing. It's fun to have something new (to you) to put on. But our world certainly has more than enough clothing to last all of us for many years, if the manufacturers disappeared overnight.
Adding an article, just so I can do a bit more research later
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2015-10-20/laundering-that-fleece-sweate...
3MaureenRoy
Please see the academic library thread in this group for a book listed there on sustainable fashion. I've been shopping mostly at thrift shops for clothing and used kitchenware these last 20 years. There are also now appliance shops for used appliances.
42wonderY
Hey, you're talking to the local Queen of Thrift shopping here.
I DO now and then still darn socks. It was my job as a child (one of 11 kids) and I still have a basket of tools in the corner. I also have a friend who is a spinner/weaver who has the most delightful yarns to choose from.
One of my other delights this last couple of years is finding the new wool socks. I have children who work construction, and I too work in the cold periodically, and keeping us comfy in the winter months is my mission.
I DO now and then still darn socks. It was my job as a child (one of 11 kids) and I still have a basket of tools in the corner. I also have a friend who is a spinner/weaver who has the most delightful yarns to choose from.
One of my other delights this last couple of years is finding the new wool socks. I have children who work construction, and I too work in the cold periodically, and keeping us comfy in the winter months is my mission.
5margd
>2 2wonderY: My solution is to hand wash (which I was already doing anyway, to keep them in good shape longer) and dispose of the wash water on my own property in a garden pit, so that I am containing my own fibers and not contributing to the waterways pollution.
>4 2wonderY: I DO now and then still darn socks. One of my other delights this last couple of years is finding the new wool socks.
Wow! I bow to you! I'm liking the wool socks, though, too. Especially for my sons under some Merrell Gore-Tex/Vibram-sole shoes, which last well, if not exactly "green". Another trick for warm feet (per a conservation officer) is sock liners under the wool socks. The sock liner might be synthetic, but maybe better wear in the wool socks as well as warm, dry feet?
>4 2wonderY: I DO now and then still darn socks. One of my other delights this last couple of years is finding the new wool socks.
Wow! I bow to you! I'm liking the wool socks, though, too. Especially for my sons under some Merrell Gore-Tex/Vibram-sole shoes, which last well, if not exactly "green". Another trick for warm feet (per a conservation officer) is sock liners under the wool socks. The sock liner might be synthetic, but maybe better wear in the wool socks as well as warm, dry feet?
62wonderY
>3 MaureenRoy: I'd love to read one of those two books by Sandy Black. She seems to have a good handle on the industry.
Have you read any Michael Braungart? He's a huge proponent of materials design which allows for intelligent recycling, or even upcycling. Shame on us for our landfills.
I love the concept of 'materials passport' or 'product passport' which streamlines the re-use of materials.
http://www.euractiv.com/section/sustainable-dev/news/eu-group-says-a-product-pas...
Have you read any Michael Braungart? He's a huge proponent of materials design which allows for intelligent recycling, or even upcycling. Shame on us for our landfills.
I love the concept of 'materials passport' or 'product passport' which streamlines the re-use of materials.
http://www.euractiv.com/section/sustainable-dev/news/eu-group-says-a-product-pas...
8southernbooklady
A friend of mine just sent me info about this company:
Tonle: Zero-waste fashion
They make clothes from factory scraps -- and apparently go out of their way to live up to the "zero waste" goal:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tonle-fashion-company-zero-waste-fair-labor-...
Tonle: Zero-waste fashion
They make clothes from factory scraps -- and apparently go out of their way to live up to the "zero waste" goal:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tonle-fashion-company-zero-waste-fair-labor-...
9dougb56586
I realize that this is a real waste problem, but with a US population of about 320 million people, "15.1 million tons of clothing and other textiles" means 94 pounds of textiles per year per person. Is that possible?
10LibraryCin
I try to mend mend mend as much as possible. Many items, once there are too many holes and I'm tired of mending the same article of clothing over and over, I will then cut up and use as rags, again until there are too many holes for it to be used that way, as well.
11oregonobsessionz
>5 margd: margd: Re liner socks - A medium weight sock over a very thin liner sock is warmer than one thick sock. If the liner sock is slippery and snug fitting, it has the additional benefit of preventing blisters and minimizing wear on the outer sock, by minimizing friction between foot and shoe.
Liner socks and base layers (thin shirts and bottoms that you wear under other clothing) are available in silk. While silk is a bit more expensive than synthetics, it is very durable, and offers year round temperature control (it somewhat miraculously feels warm in winter and cool in summer), without the bulk of fleece.
Fleece is wonderful if you are going to be outdoors in wet windy weather, especially with alternating periods of physical exertion and inactivity. The environmental impact can be somewhat mitigated by choosing products from Patagonia and other manufacturers who use post-consumer plastic as the raw material for their fleece.
Liner socks and base layers (thin shirts and bottoms that you wear under other clothing) are available in silk. While silk is a bit more expensive than synthetics, it is very durable, and offers year round temperature control (it somewhat miraculously feels warm in winter and cool in summer), without the bulk of fleece.
Fleece is wonderful if you are going to be outdoors in wet windy weather, especially with alternating periods of physical exertion and inactivity. The environmental impact can be somewhat mitigated by choosing products from Patagonia and other manufacturers who use post-consumer plastic as the raw material for their fleece.
12margd
Patagonia is also researching washing machines that will capture fibers, preventing their eventual release to open waters? That would be a help!
I suspect pricier fleeces and cotton blend sweatshirts have longer lasting zippers, often the first thing that goes for my guys. My DH can sometimes fix, once or twice I've sewn them shut for workwear, but more often they become rags--and my rag collection is beginning to overfloweth!
ETA: With old towels especially, but also other rags, I sew them into tubes, doubling back on the tube--great system that gives more control over the rag and maximizes number of clean-surfaces for swiping. Use it with a spray bottle of cleaning solution. Per 1980s Is there life after housework? by Don Aslett, a commercial cleaner who shares his tricks and enthusiasm with the homeowner. I so loathe housecleaning, but after all these years, I still appreciate his ideas and can-do attitude! Available new as well as used.
I suspect pricier fleeces and cotton blend sweatshirts have longer lasting zippers, often the first thing that goes for my guys. My DH can sometimes fix, once or twice I've sewn them shut for workwear, but more often they become rags--and my rag collection is beginning to overfloweth!
ETA: With old towels especially, but also other rags, I sew them into tubes, doubling back on the tube--great system that gives more control over the rag and maximizes number of clean-surfaces for swiping. Use it with a spray bottle of cleaning solution. Per 1980s Is there life after housework? by Don Aslett, a commercial cleaner who shares his tricks and enthusiasm with the homeowner. I so loathe housecleaning, but after all these years, I still appreciate his ideas and can-do attitude! Available new as well as used.
13margd
Que, VT farmers are growing milkweed as a cash-crop (down-replacement, etc.)
Why farmers are warming up to milkweed
Once a scourge, the plant is proving to be a winner in surprising ways.
Tom Oder | November 10, 2017
...Quartz, which is located in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, and Altitude Sports, located in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec...the fibers in the floss have thermal capacities that can retain heat in the presence of humidity and even when the floss is compressed in a crease. In addition, they add, the floss is lightweight, renewable and hypoallergenic.
As proof the floss-insulated jackets will keep you warm in even the most extreme conditions, the insulation was successfully tested last year during an ascent of Mount Everest. If you need more proof, they add, just ask the Canadian Coast Guard. The Coast Guard says it tested the insulation in parkas, gloves, mittens and coveralls in northern Canada.
...common milkweed, A. Syriaca has long been thought of by farmers everywhere as a nuisance weed. It spreads aggressively through an extensive root system, crowds out other plants and produces a sap that is toxic to livestock. Historically, farmers who allowed it to grow in or beside their fields were often looked down upon as poor farmers. The plant was considered such a menace it has become the victim of eradication programs and was even declared a noxious weed in some Canadian provinces.
Francois...Simard is a chemical engineer and the co-founder and president of Protec Style, a company in Granby, Quebec, that combines industry science and agricultural knowledge to develop technologies for all industrial sectors, mainly with natural fibers. These technologies are used to create innovative, environmentally friendly products harmless to animals.
...floss to clean up oil spills, which he has said is five times more effective than polypropylene, a petroleum derivative fiber...a substitute for goose down to insulate clothing....acoustic padding in cars, trucks and trains.
To grow enough milkweed plants to produce the floss needed to fulfill his vision to use it in clothing, Simard formed a cooperative of farmers in Quebec called the Monark Cooperative.
The co-op takes its name from the Monarch butterfly. This butterfly is a migrating butterfly that winters in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico. The northernmost Canadian farmers growing milkweed are north of Quebec City, which happens to be the northern tip of the Monarch migration, according to Heather Darby, an agronomist who works with the University of Vermont Extension.
...“There are about 2,000 planted acres of Milkweed between Vermont and Quebec,” said (Heather Darby, an agronomist who works with the University of Vermont Extension). “I think now we have 500-600 harvestable acres,” she added, pointing out it takes three years for plants to produce a harvestable crop. Those harvestable acres may be worth $800 each this year, which would be more than Vermont farmers get for most commodities...
...After the floss is separated from the seed, the seed goes back to the co-op, Darby said. “It takes a lot of milkweed seed to plant an acre of milkweed,” she added. Getting enough seed has been one of the projects biggest challenges.
...In Colonial New England, for example, early settlers used the floss to stuff pillows and mattresses and carried it for tinder. During and after World War II, researchers investigated the possibility of using the floss of various species of milkweed as a replacement for "kapok" in life preservers.
...Farmers have been calling from Virginia, Indiana and other states about the possibility of growing milkweed as a cash crop,
...Darby thinks it’s consumers and not farmers who will have the final say about whether the project will be sustainable. “Consumers drive what people produce,” said Darby. “Here’s another example where consumer support can probably move this along a little faster. I think there’s an opportunity here for people to make changes with their food dollars and their fiber dollars.”
https://www.mnn.com/money/green-workplace/stories/farmers-milkweed-parkas
Why farmers are warming up to milkweed
Once a scourge, the plant is proving to be a winner in surprising ways.
Tom Oder | November 10, 2017
...Quartz, which is located in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, and Altitude Sports, located in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec...the fibers in the floss have thermal capacities that can retain heat in the presence of humidity and even when the floss is compressed in a crease. In addition, they add, the floss is lightweight, renewable and hypoallergenic.
As proof the floss-insulated jackets will keep you warm in even the most extreme conditions, the insulation was successfully tested last year during an ascent of Mount Everest. If you need more proof, they add, just ask the Canadian Coast Guard. The Coast Guard says it tested the insulation in parkas, gloves, mittens and coveralls in northern Canada.
...common milkweed, A. Syriaca has long been thought of by farmers everywhere as a nuisance weed. It spreads aggressively through an extensive root system, crowds out other plants and produces a sap that is toxic to livestock. Historically, farmers who allowed it to grow in or beside their fields were often looked down upon as poor farmers. The plant was considered such a menace it has become the victim of eradication programs and was even declared a noxious weed in some Canadian provinces.
Francois...Simard is a chemical engineer and the co-founder and president of Protec Style, a company in Granby, Quebec, that combines industry science and agricultural knowledge to develop technologies for all industrial sectors, mainly with natural fibers. These technologies are used to create innovative, environmentally friendly products harmless to animals.
...floss to clean up oil spills, which he has said is five times more effective than polypropylene, a petroleum derivative fiber...a substitute for goose down to insulate clothing....acoustic padding in cars, trucks and trains.
To grow enough milkweed plants to produce the floss needed to fulfill his vision to use it in clothing, Simard formed a cooperative of farmers in Quebec called the Monark Cooperative.
The co-op takes its name from the Monarch butterfly. This butterfly is a migrating butterfly that winters in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico. The northernmost Canadian farmers growing milkweed are north of Quebec City, which happens to be the northern tip of the Monarch migration, according to Heather Darby, an agronomist who works with the University of Vermont Extension.
...“There are about 2,000 planted acres of Milkweed between Vermont and Quebec,” said (Heather Darby, an agronomist who works with the University of Vermont Extension). “I think now we have 500-600 harvestable acres,” she added, pointing out it takes three years for plants to produce a harvestable crop. Those harvestable acres may be worth $800 each this year, which would be more than Vermont farmers get for most commodities...
...After the floss is separated from the seed, the seed goes back to the co-op, Darby said. “It takes a lot of milkweed seed to plant an acre of milkweed,” she added. Getting enough seed has been one of the projects biggest challenges.
...In Colonial New England, for example, early settlers used the floss to stuff pillows and mattresses and carried it for tinder. During and after World War II, researchers investigated the possibility of using the floss of various species of milkweed as a replacement for "kapok" in life preservers.
...Farmers have been calling from Virginia, Indiana and other states about the possibility of growing milkweed as a cash crop,
...Darby thinks it’s consumers and not farmers who will have the final say about whether the project will be sustainable. “Consumers drive what people produce,” said Darby. “Here’s another example where consumer support can probably move this along a little faster. I think there’s an opportunity here for people to make changes with their food dollars and their fiber dollars.”
https://www.mnn.com/money/green-workplace/stories/farmers-milkweed-parkas
142wonderY
>13 margd: Ha! Passing this on to the farmers in my office in West Virginia.
172wonderY
Why Your Used Shirts Are Destined for the Dump and Not the Recycling Center
Despite the buildup of used clothes, the technology to recycle old textiles into fiber to make new ones has remained embryonic, meaning clothes eventually end up in the dump or incinerator. Textiles in American landfills jumped 67.7% by weight from 2000 to 2015, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
So far, companies have focused on improving collection of used clothes. H&M and Zara are rolling out in-store bins to collect garments which are then sold as secondhand clothing, largely to emerging markets, or turned into other products.
…
There has been little regulatory pressure on clothing makers to take responsibility for the waste generated by their products, unlike the crackdown seen in other areas, such as single-use plastics. France is the only country to hold textile producers responsible for recycling or disposal. The U.K. is considering similar rules.
Garments that are recycled are mostly turned into lower-value products like wiping cloths and insulation, which ultimately hit the landfill. Clothing that does include recycled material typically uses plastic bottles rather than old textiles.
Less than 1% of the fiber used to produce clothes is recycled into new garments, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation says. Part of the challenge of using old clothes to make new ones is that most clothing contains a blend of materials, like cotton and polyester, which are difficult to separate.
…
The H&M Foundation recently opened a pilot textile recycling plant in Hong Kong that uses chemical and hydrothermal technology to recycle cotton and polyester blends into new yarns. Polyester is recovered in fiber form, which can be respun. Recovered cotton breaks down into a cellulose powder, but the organization is still looking for a way to use this. It says the technology will be available for the industry to use, potentially next year.
Inditex is funding textile recycling research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and says by next year it will have invested $3.5 million in closed-loop technology. It is also working with Lenzing, an Austrian producer of plant-based textiles, to make new fiber from its cotton waste.
The article also points to an online second-hand shop ThredUp.com - I went looking, but didn't find that the site is very user friendly.
Despite the buildup of used clothes, the technology to recycle old textiles into fiber to make new ones has remained embryonic, meaning clothes eventually end up in the dump or incinerator. Textiles in American landfills jumped 67.7% by weight from 2000 to 2015, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
So far, companies have focused on improving collection of used clothes. H&M and Zara are rolling out in-store bins to collect garments which are then sold as secondhand clothing, largely to emerging markets, or turned into other products.
…
There has been little regulatory pressure on clothing makers to take responsibility for the waste generated by their products, unlike the crackdown seen in other areas, such as single-use plastics. France is the only country to hold textile producers responsible for recycling or disposal. The U.K. is considering similar rules.
Garments that are recycled are mostly turned into lower-value products like wiping cloths and insulation, which ultimately hit the landfill. Clothing that does include recycled material typically uses plastic bottles rather than old textiles.
Less than 1% of the fiber used to produce clothes is recycled into new garments, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation says. Part of the challenge of using old clothes to make new ones is that most clothing contains a blend of materials, like cotton and polyester, which are difficult to separate.
…
The H&M Foundation recently opened a pilot textile recycling plant in Hong Kong that uses chemical and hydrothermal technology to recycle cotton and polyester blends into new yarns. Polyester is recovered in fiber form, which can be respun. Recovered cotton breaks down into a cellulose powder, but the organization is still looking for a way to use this. It says the technology will be available for the industry to use, potentially next year.
Inditex is funding textile recycling research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and says by next year it will have invested $3.5 million in closed-loop technology. It is also working with Lenzing, an Austrian producer of plant-based textiles, to make new fiber from its cotton waste.
The article also points to an online second-hand shop ThredUp.com - I went looking, but didn't find that the site is very user friendly.
18MaureenRoy
A new US non-profit group has started recycling textiles in New York city. In 2021, they plan to open an office in the city of Los Angeles, a major North American hub of the garment industry.
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/fabscrap-aims-solve-fashion-industry-s-waste-p...
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/fabscrap-aims-solve-fashion-industry-s-waste-p...
19margd
Asian rivers are turning black. And our colorful closets are to blame
Textile dyeing is one of the most polluting aspects of the global fashion industry, devastating the environment and posing health hazards to humans.
Helen Regan | 28th September 2020
...The fashion industry uses around 93 billion cubic meters (21 trillion gallons) of water annually, enough to fill 37 million Olympic swimming pools, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Along with finishing, dyeing is the most polluting and energy-intensive processes involved in making our clothes.
Finishing is when chemicals or treatments are applied to fabric to give it the desired look or feel -- such as bleaching, softening or making the garment water resistant or anti-wrinkle. Large amounts of water and chemicals are also used during dyeing, to ensure vivid colors bind to the fabric and don't fade or wash out.
...Some experts believe the drive needs to come from big brands, which can encourage factories to build water treatment plants or invest in chemical-free technologies by committing to long-term contracts, even if costs rise.
"(What we're) asking for is that brands build a strong and long-lasting relationship with their suppliers, so they can have more say in their environmental performance," said Kong.
Yet, ridding the fashion industry of hazardous chemicals is likely to become even more challenging as our clothing addiction increases. Apparel consumption is set to rise by 63% to 102 million tons a year in 2030, according to a 2017 Pulse of the Fashion report.
"For the volume we are consuming, I don't think there is a solution or best scenario without reducing the volume of our consumption," Kong said. "Even if all of us dress in organic cotton and natural dyes it would still be devastating." ...
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/dyeing-pollution-fashion-intl-hnk-dst-sept/ind...
Textile dyeing is one of the most polluting aspects of the global fashion industry, devastating the environment and posing health hazards to humans.
Helen Regan | 28th September 2020
...The fashion industry uses around 93 billion cubic meters (21 trillion gallons) of water annually, enough to fill 37 million Olympic swimming pools, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Along with finishing, dyeing is the most polluting and energy-intensive processes involved in making our clothes.
Finishing is when chemicals or treatments are applied to fabric to give it the desired look or feel -- such as bleaching, softening or making the garment water resistant or anti-wrinkle. Large amounts of water and chemicals are also used during dyeing, to ensure vivid colors bind to the fabric and don't fade or wash out.
...Some experts believe the drive needs to come from big brands, which can encourage factories to build water treatment plants or invest in chemical-free technologies by committing to long-term contracts, even if costs rise.
"(What we're) asking for is that brands build a strong and long-lasting relationship with their suppliers, so they can have more say in their environmental performance," said Kong.
Yet, ridding the fashion industry of hazardous chemicals is likely to become even more challenging as our clothing addiction increases. Apparel consumption is set to rise by 63% to 102 million tons a year in 2030, according to a 2017 Pulse of the Fashion report.
"For the volume we are consuming, I don't think there is a solution or best scenario without reducing the volume of our consumption," Kong said. "Even if all of us dress in organic cotton and natural dyes it would still be devastating." ...
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/dyeing-pollution-fashion-intl-hnk-dst-sept/ind...
212wonderY
>20 margd: That’s a nice thought, but not at all informative.
Are they saying they take all brands of wool socks or all brands of socks, no matter the textile blend?
I buy high wool content socks, but I’ve never seen a pure wool sock.
Ah. This has a bit more info:
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/sock-recycling-smartwool-second-cut-p...
So any material. They use the fibers fur dog beds (stuffing?)
Are they saying they take all brands of wool socks or all brands of socks, no matter the textile blend?
I buy high wool content socks, but I’ve never seen a pure wool sock.
Ah. This has a bit more info:
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/sock-recycling-smartwool-second-cut-p...
So any material. They use the fibers fur dog beds (stuffing?)
22margd
>21 2wonderY: At least some are made into socks? (Scroll down to video.) Fleece, too. Too late for the bag of odd and worn socks that I deposited in the rag bin...
23margd
Handkerchief or Tissue. Which better for your health and the planet?
Oct. 11, 2023
...US company Ecosystem Analytics compared resusable cotton hankies to disposable paper tissues using a lifecycle analysis. It considered four measures of environmental impacts associated with production, transport, use and disposal:
climate change (sum of greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, nitrous oxide and CFCs)
ecosystem quality (chemical pollution of land and water)
human health (carcinogenic and non‐carcinogenic toxicity to humans)
resources (total energy requirements of non‐renewable energy and mineral extraction).
The verdict? Across the four measures, a cotton hanky had five to seven times greater impact than an equivalent tissue...
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/lifestyle/health/handkerchief-or-tissu...
Oct. 11, 2023
...US company Ecosystem Analytics compared resusable cotton hankies to disposable paper tissues using a lifecycle analysis. It considered four measures of environmental impacts associated with production, transport, use and disposal:
climate change (sum of greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, nitrous oxide and CFCs)
ecosystem quality (chemical pollution of land and water)
human health (carcinogenic and non‐carcinogenic toxicity to humans)
resources (total energy requirements of non‐renewable energy and mineral extraction).
The verdict? Across the four measures, a cotton hanky had five to seven times greater impact than an equivalent tissue...
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/lifestyle/health/handkerchief-or-tissu...
242wonderY
>23 margd: The ecological measure appears to be a one to one use comparison. Yes, it takes more resource to make a cloth hanky, but it is not used just once.
25margd
>24 2wonderY: I confess that I'm not reading analysis in depth, but it seems to be using a 50-wash lifetime for the cotton handkerchief, and even looking at saving ~30 to wash all at once? The only cotton handkerchiefs I have are a couple of dainty embroidered ones that have languished in a drawer since my wedding day. They would need to be ironed after being laundered...and that's SO not going to happen, pretty as they are!
Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Disposable Facial Tissue Use versus Reusable Cotton Handkerchiefs
Ecosystem Analytics, Inc. | August 16, 2012
54 pages
https://ecosystem-analytics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Complete-LCA-Facial-T...
Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Disposable Facial Tissue Use versus Reusable Cotton Handkerchiefs
Ecosystem Analytics, Inc. | August 16, 2012
54 pages
https://ecosystem-analytics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Complete-LCA-Facial-T...
26Cynfelyn
In reality (in my reality at least) handkerchiefs get washed along with everything else, get washed many more than fifty times, and never get ironed.
If we've got a working iron I don't know where it is, and the ironing board is gathering dust with the other tall stuff from previous generations of technology, like the projection screen and the electric keyboard.
------
Edited to add: In addition to which, the 'study' seems to be manufacturing the handkerchiefs in a China with a 79% coal-burning electricity grid, sending all packaging and disposable products to landfill or to be incinerated, not specifying the wash cycle being used, and (final insult) tumble drying the laundry (US electricity mix not spcified). At least the only hits on 'iron' in the document seem to be in the middle of the word 'environment'. You'd hope the world of "A survey shows ..." surveys had moved on from Ecosystem Analytic's 2012 report; at least The Conversation 2023 item is recycled content.
If we've got a working iron I don't know where it is, and the ironing board is gathering dust with the other tall stuff from previous generations of technology, like the projection screen and the electric keyboard.
------
Edited to add: In addition to which, the 'study' seems to be manufacturing the handkerchiefs in a China with a 79% coal-burning electricity grid, sending all packaging and disposable products to landfill or to be incinerated, not specifying the wash cycle being used, and (final insult) tumble drying the laundry (US electricity mix not spcified). At least the only hits on 'iron' in the document seem to be in the middle of the word 'environment'. You'd hope the world of "A survey shows ..." surveys had moved on from Ecosystem Analytic's 2012 report; at least The Conversation 2023 item is recycled content.
272wonderY
I have a few handkerchiefs that my dad used. He had a fresh one in his pocket every day. And they got used. So, decades of usefulness.
It’s icky to use a tissue to wipe your brow. And it doesn’t wrap around your neck to protect from sun or insects.
It’s icky to use a tissue to wipe your brow. And it doesn’t wrap around your neck to protect from sun or insects.
28margd
I carry a bandana in my purse, soaked and sometimes frozen, to wipe my brow and wrap around my neck on hot days downtown. Tissue couldn't do that!
29LibraryCin
>26 Cynfelyn: In reality (in my reality at least) handkerchiefs get washed along with everything else, get washed many more than fifty times, and never get ironed.
I agree with this. (That being said, I didn't read the article.)
I also use my handkerchief about 4 or 5 times before I throw it in the laundry. One blow only dirties a small portion of it, so I just use the next unused portion.
I agree with this. (That being said, I didn't read the article.)
I also use my handkerchief about 4 or 5 times before I throw it in the laundry. One blow only dirties a small portion of it, so I just use the next unused portion.
30John5918
>26 Cynfelyn:, >29 LibraryCin:
I'm with the two of you on this. I generally use a handkerchief for a week or until it starts to smell of diesel or oil depending on what I've been tinkering with that week, I throw them in the wash with all the other clothes, where they take up virtually no space and they don't use any extra water or soap powder, we're off grid so we don't have a tumble dryer or an iron - we hang laundry out to dry in the sun and wind, and we fold them neatly without ironing. The only real reason for ironing clothes is if you live in an area where blowflies lay their eggs in clothes hanging out to dry, and fortunately we don't have them here. I don't know anything about the resources used to manufacture handkerchiefs, but I would say that washing them uses virtually no extra resources.
I'm with the two of you on this. I generally use a handkerchief for a week or until it starts to smell of diesel or oil depending on what I've been tinkering with that week, I throw them in the wash with all the other clothes, where they take up virtually no space and they don't use any extra water or soap powder, we're off grid so we don't have a tumble dryer or an iron - we hang laundry out to dry in the sun and wind, and we fold them neatly without ironing. The only real reason for ironing clothes is if you live in an area where blowflies lay their eggs in clothes hanging out to dry, and fortunately we don't have them here. I don't know anything about the resources used to manufacture handkerchiefs, but I would say that washing them uses virtually no extra resources.
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