Below you will find a few diagrams containing information about certain synthetic fabrics, non-certified cotton as well as certified cotton so you are able to learn more about the fabrics that you wear every day.
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The below research was carried out by the owner of the brand. Specific figures are sourced from The Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber Material Market Report 2019 and The Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Fossil Fuel Based Fabric
Made from
Coal
petroleum
air
water
Thousands of other chemicals
Harm to Human Health
Carcinogenic
Can cause skin cancer
Rashes, contact dermatitis
Constant release of micro-plastics
51.5% of global fibre production 2019
=
55.1 million tonnes
Amount Produced Yearly
Polyester
Soft plastic/Non-biodegradable
400 micro-plastics released per 20 gram of fibre during 20 minutes of normal activity
Uses more than 70 million barrels of oil a year
Harm to the Environment
400 Micro-plastics released per gram of fibre during 20 minutes of wear
Soft plastic/non-degradable
Production method releases greenhouse gases
Toxic chemicals washed/dumped into waterways and rivers
Quality
Streamlined production method producing low quality fabric
Zero breathability
Traps moisture between the fibres
Harm to the Worker
Constant exposure to toxic chemicals causes neurological damage, cancer and other potentially fatal conditions
Farming Method
Farmers are free to choose what they grow although GMO seeds are banned
Soil is nurtured
Grown alongside food which feeds the farmers
Certified organic cotton is free of allergens, carcinogens and toxic chemicals
Impact on Human Health
0.68%~ of 24.4% cotton produced 2019
=
180,871 tonnes
Amount Produced Yearly
Certified Organic Cotton
Farming method locks C02 into the soil
94% less greenhouse gas emissions
Less energy and water use
Hazardous pesticides are banned
Impact on the Environment
Certification covers field to fashion meaning it is free of all toxic chemicals and produced in a sustainable and ethical way - this type of supply chain allows care, time and effort to go into production at every stage
Quality
Impact on the Farmer and Factory Worker
Farmers are able to grow food free of toxic chemicals
Regular inspection and strict social criteria and equal treatment means no forced labour and no child labour
No use of toxic dyes or chemical treatments
Farming Method
20,000 litres of water to produce one kilogram of cotton
GMO Seeds
4% of the worlds Pesticides and 10% insecticides used
Child labour
Uses 4% of all pesticides and 10% of pesticides in the world
Toxic dyes used during production
Harm to Human Health
24.4% of global fibre production 2019
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=
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26.1 million tonnes
Amount Produced Yearly
Non-certified Cotton
Harm to the Environment
43 Million tones of pesticide filled dust blown into the air every year
Pesticide filled rainfall in countries it is farmed
Causes drought - Aral Sea Basin dried up through cotton farming
Quality
Treated with chemicals and toxic dyes
Harm to the Farmer
Exposure to pesticides and insecticides
Farmed food contaminated
In many standard cotton farms workers are forced, with children as young as 5
Farming Method
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Soil is nurtured
Fairtrade work alongside small farmers to adapt to the changing climate
GMO seeds are banned
Fairtrade cotton is free of allergens, carcinogens and toxic chemicals
Impact on Human Health
0.06% of 24.4% cotton produced 2018
=
16,906 tonnes
Amount Produced Yearly
Fair Trade Cotton
Fields in Western Africa and India are rain-fed
Work with the farmers to stop the usage of agrochemicals and excessive use of water
Impact on the Environment
Certification covers field to fashion meaning it is free of all toxic chemicals and produced in a sustainable and ethical way - this type of supply chain allows care, time and effort to go into production at every stage
Quality
Impact on the Farmer and Factory Worker
Standards are in place to protect health and safety, as well as stopping the use of forced labour
Fossil Fuel Based Fabric
Made from
Carbon based chemicals found in coal and petroleum
Harm to Human Health
Carcinogenic
Can cause skin cancer
Rashes, contact dermatitis
Constant release of micro-plastics
Permanent chemical finish
5% of global fibre production 2019
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=
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5.35 million tonnes
Amount Produced Yearly
Nylon
Releases micro-plastics
Uses almost 70 million barrels of oil a year
Production method releases a gas 300 times more damaging than carbon dioxide
Harm to the Environment
Quality
Chemically treated to be wrinkle-free
Zero breathability
Traps moisture between the fibres
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Harm to the Worker
Constant exposure to toxic chemicals causes neurological damage, cancer and other potentially fatal conditions