With the continued threat of rising sea levels, the growth of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — a collection of marine debris that has accumulated on the sea floor of the North Pacific Ocean — and increasing news coverage regarding natural disasters, one can’t help but wonder what they can do to help.
With concerns regarding climate change increasing, the concept of a “blue economy” has emerged.
As defined by a United Nations article, a blue economy “comprises a range of economic sectors and related policies that together determine whether the use of ocean resources is sustainable.”
Integrating the blue economy into the fashion industry will help humans work towards a more sustainable future.
According to an article from the United Nations, it takes 2,000 gallons of water, to make one pair of jeans, which is roughly equal to what one human drinks over the course of seven years.
And that’s just the beginning; keeping those jeans in shape demands even more water, while microplastics and chemical dyes from the fabric eventually find their way back into our water systems.
Traditional fashion materials rely on water and chemicals which can be harmful in many ways, but one new and beneficial way the fashion industry and the blue economy can work together is by using marine-based, sustainable clothing materials such as seaweed, kelp and algae.
One example of this new material is Seacell, which, according to fashion brand Another Tomorrow, is “a cellulose fiber enriched with seaweed.”
According to the brand’s website, its production starts with responsibly harvesting seaweed from fjords in Iceland. The seaweed is washed, dried, ground and added to a wood-based solution in a closed-loop system that generates no chemical waste. This process allows for a product that is not only ethically made but is also biodegradable.
Another way fashion brands are implementing elements of the blue economy into their approach is by recycling plastics littered in the ocean as clothing materials.
According to the Maritime Aquarium, Americans use about 50 billion plastic bottles of water each year, but only a fraction — less than a third — makes it to a recycling bin. The rest is left to pile up in landfills or scatter as litter across our landscapes and waterways. By repurposing this plastic waste, the fashion industry can help pull these pollutants out of the ocean, offering a small yet meaningful step toward tackling a far larger environmental challenge.
Patagonia is one of many brands that have begun including these recycling methods. According to the brand’s website, it uses discarded fishing nets from fishing communities around the world as a clothing material they call “NetPlus.”
According to Patagonia’s website, used fishing nets are often discarded once frayed due to a “lack of end-of-life solutions” in the industry. However, Bureo, a net collection company based in California, is trying to negate the need for virgin plastics, providing a more responsible alternative.
Through their programs, the company works to sort, clean and shred the nets, then recycle them into NetPlus, a fully traceable postconsumer material.
The harmful chemicals and dyes found in clothing also play a major role in climate change, particularly when it comes to the health of the Earth’s oceans.
According to an article from the European Parliament, 20% of global clean water pollution is due to the chemicals used to dye our clothes. A way to combat this is by purchasing clothing made from eco-friendly dying ingredients, including avocado pits, which give off a pink color, and onions, which can dye fabrics yellow.
Even with sustainable options on the rise, the best choice we can make is to buy less and choose thoughtfully. Instead of chasing fast fashion’s quick fixes, consider embracing “slow fashion” — a more mindful, lasting approach to style.
The concept, coined by Kate Fletcher of The Centre for Sustainable Fashion, is defined as “an awareness and approach to fashion that carefully considers the processes and resources required to make clothing, and focuses on timeless, high-quality designs over trend-driven pieces destined for the landfill after a few wears.”
At the end of the day, the best way to decrease one's carbon footprint is to consume less clothing and to be mindful of the clothing they purchase.
The waste within the ocean isn't going to disappear but it’s crucial to help contribute to the concept of a blue economy.
Read the Fall/Winter 2024 sustainability issue of Scarlette Magazine online at issuu.com.
SHOOT LEADS Ella Dipold, Paige Kadar / MODELS Belle Atkins, Sierra Hudson, Gracelyn Johns, Siya Patil, Sneh Rai, Aliyse Stokes, Scarlett Yu / STYLISTS Kaia Lewis, Alexis Phillips / OUTFITS CREATED BY Scarlett Yu
