Twelve Ways We Can Tackle Textile Waste - And They All Start With RE-
In June 2026, Helen was invited to deliver a 5 minute talk about textile waste at the EcoFest at St John's Church, Neville's Cross, Durham.
This is what she said...
Why textile waste is a global problem...
There's a mountain in the Atacama Desert in Chile that is visible from space. It's made up entirely of discarded clothes.
In the Ghanaian capital of Accra, a 20 metre high cliff towers at the water’s edge with cattle grazing on its summit. It is formed not of earth or stone, but of landfill. 60 per cent is unwanted clothes.
Approximately 60% to 70% of all clothing produced globally is made from synthetic fibres. That's plastic. Polyester takes up to 200 years to decompose, breaking down into micro plastics along the way. So these mountains and cliffs are going to be around for many many years.
It's estimated that there are already enough clothes on the planet to clothe the next six generations.
And yet industry estimates indicate that fashion giant Zara produces over 450 million items annually. That's just one clothing company in one year. 450 million items.
And it's not just about waste. It's about the consequences of over production too. The fast fashion industry is the second biggest polluter on the planet after the fossil fuel industry.
Something has got to change.
We can make a difference.
And this is my secret weapon...
Ten Ways We Can Tackle Textile Waste - And They All Start With RE-
- Reduce the amount of clothes in your wardrobe
- Research brands, fabrics, practices
- Resolve to buy nothing new
- Refuse to buy fast fashion
- Rewear again and again and again
- Restyle and switch it up
- Repair: sew on a button, take up a hem
- Reconfigure: if it doesn't fit any more, make it fit
- Reinvent/rework: the art of transformation
- Resell: from trying an online selling platform like Vinted to going to a car boot sale and everything in between!
- Recycle: if all else fails, donate as rags
You might see sewing as boring, a hobby for old people, something you learn at school and then never do again. Just try it. Pick up a needle and thread. Start small.
My final RE- is Rebel.
The world is changing.
Sewing is a revolutionary act.
I choose to repair, I choose to make my own clothes, I choose to reject fast fashion,
And in so doing, I choose to care for the planet.
