They call it “fast fashion” – clothing made to be cheap with a very short lifespan. And it’s just the latest PR nightmare for the fashion industry, which has done all it can to shed its past notoriety for modern slavery and body shaming.
Today, the industry has cleaned up its act in some ways, but there’s still a lot of mystery and opacity surrounding it. And polythene is a part of that story, in more ways than one…
Polythene has become a ubiquitous presence in the fashion industry – polythene bags for clothes are essential for logistics and storage – but it’s also useful as a material. Let’s explore the good, the bad and the ugly side of polythene’s role in fashion, and what the industry can do to improve.
Packaging for clothes
On the packaging side, polythene bags are essential for protecting clothes in transit to retailers and directly to consumers. Polythene garment bags can be custom designed to fit all clothing types, with gussets, fastenings, and other custom features – for a perfect fit, maximum durability and high resistance to moisture, grease and dust.
And while the environmental impact of polythene packaging in fashion has raised significant concerns, it might actually be the only good solution.
A study by Fashion for Good found that the impact of polybags is minimal compared to other factors in fashion production. We’ve also discussed how alternatives, such as paper and card, are in fact more damaging to the environment and ecosystems in our previous look at plastic packaging alternatives. Plastic packaging is also recyclable and has far more reuse potential, offering long-term solutions such as in structural materials, or eventually as an energy source.
It’s light, has a far smaller CO2 footprint in both production and shipping, doesn’t react chemically with clothing, can be printed, coloured… It ticks a lot of boxes. Polythene can even be worked into fabrics for making clothing. So, packaging, while still imperfect, isn’t as problematic as it might seem. The bigger problem is microplastics – and we don’t quite know what we’re in for yet.
Fashion, plastic – and the environment
The shedding of microplastics when synthetic fabrics are washed contributes to watercourse and ocean pollution, and this could have some significant ecological consequences. We’re only just learning about these now; nobody really knows the true scale or the impact of it. We can’t not wash our clothes, of course. And we can’t all afford to wear natural fabrics all the time. So what can be done?
What can the fashion industry do about it?
While the fashion industry can take steps to mitigate fast fashion and microplastic shedding, to make a meaningful impact, the fashion industry must embrace a new strategy; slow fashion. And this is a tough sell to consumers, who are now hard-wired to want more for less, faster.
The fashion industry faces the challenge of balancing the need for practical materials with the responsibility to minimise environmental harm – and meeting consumer expectations. That’s not going to be a quick fix.
Recycling clothing is hard. But a circular economy where materials are continuously recycled, upcycled and reused can apply not just to packaging, but to fabrics, too.
Consumer education is probably the biggest challenge. But it will be absolutely vital if the industry really wants to affect change. Brands should guide customers to make eco-friendly choices, like selecting garments that produce fewer microplastics, building garments that last, suggesting alternative cleaning methods – and advocating for fewer, better purchases.
This reduces waste and encourages more sustainable consumer behaviour. But this is kind of at odds with the “forever growing” mentality we find ourselves stuck in. It’s not enough to have a sustainable business when shareholders and investors expect to see returns on their investments. There are ways around it, like pricing strategies that support fewer purchases – but this is likely to push the majority of consumers out of their market.
Investing in research to develop alternative materials is another key strategy. Exploring additives and coatings that could reduce microplastic shedding, or entirely new materials that fulfil the same functions as those in use today, without the environmental drawbacks? These could be game-changers for the fashion industry.
But it’s risky, too. We don’t want another “forever chemical” scandal.
Like all of us, the fashion industry has to evolve to address the environmental challenges posed by the materials it has adopted. By reducing waste, reclaiming plastics, and urging more sustainable practices, the industry can strike a balance between practicality and environmental responsibility.
Is there a sustainable future in fashion? We think there can be. But it’s up to us all to weave that thread.
Polythene for sustainable fashion packaging
Talk to the polythene experts at NPF Packaging – and design your own polythene bags for clothes. Get a quote now, or call us on 01773 820415 to find out more about our manufacturing and design process.
