Does buying second-hand clothes help fight climate change?
A trader of thrift clothes, also known as Okrika, in Nigeria at his business. SOURCE: The GuardianNg In the year 2018, the fashion industry was responsible for more greenhouse emissions than the combined economies of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Data from the United Nations Environment Programme also show that the fashion industry is responsible for more emissions than international flights and water transportation combined, highlighting the need for sustainable fashion practices. The fashion industry impacts the climate in a number of ways briefly detailed below. How fashion drives climate change The process of producing and transporting clothes to the end-user consumes a lot of energy, most of which is gotten from burning fossil fuels. This leads to the release of greenhouse gases that warm the atmosphere and contribute to climate change. The most common material used in making clothes is a form of plastic called polyester. It is durable and easy to cle...