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The Hidden Story of Plastics in Our Clothes

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60% of clothing sold today contains plastic. It’s a huge issue managing to fly under the radar. Here’s what you need to know.

Many of us now know that the ramifications of a plastic world are dire. From the moment it’s
born to the end of its useful life, plastic is harmful to our environment, destructive to precious
ecosystems, and hazardous to human health.

What many of us may not yet know is how prevalent plastic has become in our clothing. Polyester,
a plastic-based synthetic textile, is found in 60% of garments being sold today, and polyester
production increased by nearly 900% between 1980 and 2014.

In this resource, we’ll reveal how plastic solidified its place as one of the most prominent materials
in fashion, we’ll talk about what that means for all of us, and we’ll share some of the best solutions
for getting us out of this mess.

This white paper was originally published by Fibershed.org in 2022.

Plastics_Whitepaper_FINAL_15.11.2022