It only takes a second for us to forget about our old clothes after we throw them away (out of sight, out of mind, right?). But have you given a thought to where those clothes go once you have carelessly got rid of them? This is something many people rarely consider, but it's time we do because our environment is really taking a hit. How? Find out ahead.
When it comes to textile waste, India doesn't just have to deal with its own waste but also discarded clothes from prominent countries like UK and USA. All of this waste clothing from the world and within our country makes its way to Panipat in Northern India.
It's no surprise then that Panipat is also known as the 'cast-off' capital of the world. The problem of textile waste filling up landfills has advanced so much that India is reportedly going to need a landfill the size of its capital, New Delhi (as claimed by a joint report by Assocham and accounting firm PwC).
In this brilliant short documentary, Unravel, filmmaker Meghna Gupta, shows how even perfectly wearable clothes are discarded by consumers.
In one scene, local female workers who work in factories in Panipat that have the responsibility of ripping clothes by hand offer plenty of explanations on why people would get rid of clothes that are in really good condition. Such as, "Everyone here says that the clothes come over because there’s a water shortage in the West... Maybe the water is too expensive to wash them."
Another reason: “Who knows, maybe they just don’t like washing their clothes?” However, the final comment, made by a woman standing in the middle of piles of clothes bigger than her, rings truest. "They wear their clothes a couple of times, then throw them away," she says.
Instead of throwing away clothes as you please, try following these three steps to ensure your clothes don't kill the environment.
1. Please donate your clothes.
Instead of carelessly throwing away your clothes, please donate them to a charity or a noble cause. There are people who don't have clothes to cover themselves in winter and other harsh seasons. What you think is a waste might be a real gain for someone in need.
2. Shop smarter.
You don't need five pairs of jeans. Shop smarter, save money and spend it on experiences like travelling, reading or just hanging out with your friends.
3. Repeat clothes.
Repeating clothes is cool so do that without any shame.