MCS marks World Circular Textiles Day with new clothes recycling campaign
The Marine Conservation Society is inviting the public to refill their old items in exchange for discounted purchases.
According to the organisation, less than 1% of clothing produced worldwide is eventually recycled back into new items after their initial lifespan has been exhausted.
MCS has now set up a scheme which will see the charity collect t-shirts, jumpers, jeans and other garments. Recovered fabric will then be used to produce new items, keeping valuable materials in use and saving precious resources, including water.
The MCS scheme invites the public to scan a QR code to access a free returns label and then send in any unwanted or damaged items of clothing. In return, they will receive a £5 voucher which can be redeemed against any of the charity’s own products.
The clothes industry has a devastating impact on marine life, with 85% of fast fashion garments winding up in landfill each year. Meanwhile, the low cost synthetic textiles the sector relies on have significantly shorter shelf lives than natural alternatives, with polyester, acrylic, nylon, and other human-made fabrics major contributors to the microplastic crisis.
According to Ocean Life Education, around 75% of all ocean creatures are believed to have ingested tiny plastic particles, which can lead to serious health complications and even death. A recent report published in the journal Science shows that although synthetic textiles are responsible for lower levels of microplastic marine pollution than plastic pellets, tires, paint and macro plastics such as detergent bottles, which slowly break down into smaller pieces, clothing still produces some 211 kilotons of microplastics annually.
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Image: Marine Conservation Society