Fashion’s Impact on the Marine Environment

Ben Williams (author) trialling a stereo hydrophone array at Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef

The way we make clothes needs a rethink.

Hi, I’m Ben. I’m a post graduate research student at the University of Exeter specialising in marine biology. The team at Myriad asked me to share some insights I found on the relationship between the clothing industry and our ocean. Here, I’ve outlined some of the major issues and offered some insights as to how you can help make change.

Ocean Pollution

You might be surprised to hear that almost all synthetic fibres used in clothing come from petroleum. The extraction and production of this can cause massive harm to the marine environment, often through all too frequent spills. Many will remember scenes from the 2010 Deep Water Horizon blowout which released 3.9 million barrels of oil into the ocean. The use of harmful chemicals during their production is also frequent, many of which enter our wastewaters and work their way into the ocean.

Recent research has also revealed the enormity of the scale at which microfibres from clothes are being released into the environment, through washing and disposal. This adds to the growing issue of plastics and microplastics in our seas.

Just a single clothes wash releases around 700,000 microplastic fibres.

CO2 release

Arguably the biggest long-term threat facing our oceans is continued CO2 production. The textile industry releases over 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. That is more than international flights and shipping combined.

The effects are already evident. 93% of man made warming has been absorbed by our oceans and 28% of CO2 we’ve released has dissolved into them. The effects of this are already being felt. I’ve seen firsthand the effects on coral reefs. These are one the most vulnerable habitats, have faced unprecedented levels of bleaching from unusually hot waters.

A growing number of species are also being driven out of their existing habitats due to warming waters. The increased dissolved CO2 also leads to ocean acidification, often called ‘the evil twin of climate change’. It’s not hard to imagine the harm living in an acidified environment can have. It increases organisms’ energy demands and reduces their ability to grow hard shells and bony structures critical to their survival, as these dissolve more readily in the acidified water.

Bleached coral on Australia's Great Barrier Reef near Port Douglas in February 2017. Photo: Brett Monroe Garner

So, how do we protect our oceans?

Industries and individuals can make important changes to reduce these impacts and give our ocean a chance to reverse the damage we have done.

Low impact fashion, championed by Myriad, is exactly the kind of approach needed. The use of monomaterial and remanufactured materials greatly reduces the need to produce raw materials, removing the associated impacts of CO2 production and pollution. The use of renewable energy to produce these items further reduces their carbon footprint. The circular economy principle applied here also slows the pace at which the remains of these products end up in our ocean.

There is always something you can do to continue to reduce your impact. Practice responsible washing.  Ask yourself if an item really needs washing before chucking it into your laundry and use a washing bag, Cora Ball or microfibre gatherer. This will both reduce the release of microfibres from your clothes and the CO2 released by excessively running a washing machine. You can also make your clothes last, limiting your need to purchase new items.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, recycle items once you really are done with them – Myriad’s clothes can be sent back and repurposed, which is great.