American consumers so far underestimate the amount of clothing and textiles they throw away each year that they want to know more about recycling, according to a research report.
The State of Reuse Report, published by USthriftretailerSavers, examines perceptions of clothing consumption and reuse and identifies opportunities to educate consumers and change wasteful habits. According to research commissioned by the company, consumers threw away an average of 81 pounds of clothing per person last year (2015) – 95% of which was reused or recycled.
The report found that American consumers throw away an average of about 4.7 garbage bags worth of clothing each year, but the actual amount is almost double that, reaching 8.1 garbage bags worth of clothing. The study also found some misconceptions at donation centers across the country, with 54% of consumers admitting to throwing away their clothes because they didn’t think the donation center would accept their donations.
However, consumers also have a strong desire to understand recyclability and its positive impact on the economy and environment. More than half of them said that after understanding the impact of the garment industry on the environment, they are more likely to recycle clothing. Do reuse. Moreover, more than 90% of people believe that schools should teach the concept of reuse to increase the development of sustainable usage habits in future generations.
“As an organization dedicated to promoting reuse, Savers felt the need to investigate existing barriers and clarify misunderstandings around donating clothes and buying second-hand goods. The Savers State of Reuse Report shows that there are increasing numbers of public and private sector organizations. opportunities to work together to educate people about reducing the impact of clothing on the environment and promote the reuse of garments.” said Ken Alterman, CEO of Savers.
