What is the background to sustainable fashion? Women's clothes from kimono remake

clothing manufacturing process

First, we start with the procurement of raw materials, then spin the raw materials into threads, dye the threads and cloth, and then cut and sew. All of these processes have some impact on the environment.

Once the products are completed, they are transported by ship or plane to the countries where they are to be sold, and are displayed in stores. They end up being discarded, recycled, or remade.

Environmental pollution caused by procurement of raw materials for clothing

In order to make our clothes, there is actually a burden on the environment from the raw material procurement stage. Even natural materials such as cotton consume water to grow, and the use of chemical fertilizers pollutes the soil.

In addition, synthetic materials such as polyester use petroleum resources, and factories emit carbon dioxide.

Annual environmental load

The Ministry of the Environment publishes the annual environmental impact of each stage, from procurement of the raw materials necessary for manufacturing fashion clothing to spinning, dyeing, and transportation. Annual carbon dioxide emissions are about 90,000 kt, water consumption is about 8.3 billion cubic meters, and scrap material emissions are about 45,000 tons. In addition to this, water pollution by chemicals is also considered.

Mass production/mass consumption

Currently in Japan, cheap clothes are purchased in large quantities and thrown away in large quantities in a short period of time. According to data from the Ministry of the Environment, each Japanese person buys about 18 pieces of clothing and discards about 12 pieces per year. In addition, it is said that about 25 pieces of clothes that have not been worn for a year are sleeping in the closet.

Even though it's an average number, you're still consuming a lot of clothes.

How are discarded clothes disposed of?

About 68% of discarded clothes are simply thrown away. Other than that, they are collected and reused by second-hand clothing purchase services, etc., or are recycled after being collected as resources.

In addition, the total amount of clothes thrown out to garbage annually is about 508,000 tons, of which about 95% is discarded. Converting this to 1,300 tons per day, this amount of clothing is incinerated or landfilled every day.

need to change the status quo

You can see that the environment is burdened not only by making clothes, but also by throwing away a large amount of clothes every day. Sustainability initiatives seek to change this state of affairs.

making clothes that last

There are also companies that make clothes that can be worn for a long time and with care. For example, making sleeves and hems adjustable as your child grows is one way to make clothes that last. In addition, some maternity clothes have a system that allows you to change the silhouette according to changes in your body shape from pregnancy to postpartum.

In addition, there is a guarantee system that repairs clothes that are damaged due to normal use, and every effort is made to ensure that the purchased product lasts as long as possible.

Reducing the generation of textile waste that affects the marine environment

There are also concerns about the deterioration of the marine environment, such as the fiber waste generated when washing clothes. For this reason, attempts are being made to develop materials that are less likely to generate fiber waste.

In recent years, the number of people who wear kimono as casual wear has decreased, so kimono that are no longer worn can be found in second-hand clothing markets. It has been remade so that it can be worn casually as casual everyday wear.

Since remade kimonos are one-of-a-kind items, they are attracting attention as unique fashion items that allow you to dress in your own way.