Plastic Free Fashion (PFF) campaign is a new initiative of A Plastic Planet. PFF is a movement designed to curb the industry’s contribution to plastic pollution. The organization’s new open-source plastic-free materials innovation greenhouse hub brings together innovators in textiles and sustainability, with the fashion industry aiming to accelerate solutions. A new poll revealed that 81% of the UK participants want the UK government to make it mandatory for brands to introduce labeling, which shows whether plastic is present in their clothing and accessories.
The results revealed that 72% of those surveyed are unaware of the amount of plastic used to make clothing, while two-thirds were not aware of fashion’s impact on plastic pollution. Some 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make polyester, with its production releasing up to three times more carbon than natural materials. More than a third of all microplastics released into the ocean are estimated to derive from synthetic fibers. Laundry alone causes half a million tons of these microfibres to be released into the seas every year – the equivalent of three billion polyester shirts.
Campaigners warn there must be a far greater onus placed on plastic pollution deriving from the fashion industry, believing a transparent labeling system will help consumers make informed decisions when considering the environmental impact of the clothing they buy.
