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Somehow plastic-based fabrics have made it to the top of the list for the EU’s new eco clothes labels. Set to launch as a requirement for all clothing items sold within the EU in 2023, the labels will be colored coded based on the item’s fabric content and its impact. As you can imagine, red will be used for items that have the worst environmental impact.
But, one coalition of NGOs and sustainable fashion advocates have noticed that the labels are wrongly listing plastic-based fabrics as more sustainable than natural fibers. That means that despite the impact from fossil fuels ( plastic-based textiles like polyester use 342 million barrels of oil yearly) and mircoplastics (synthetic plastic-based clothes contribute to approximately 35% of microplastic pollution) fabrics like polyester will be labeled as more eco-friendly than organic cotton.
In theory, eco clothes labels sounds great. Many different factors go into making fashion sustainable- wages, packaging, water conservation, fabrics, etc. And, having clothing tags clearly labeled whether or not is items is made from environmentally friendly fabrics is one way that the industry can make it easier for consumers to make better shopping decisions. At least that’s the idea behind a new eco clothes labeling system proposed by the EU to start in 2023.
In reality the Make the Label Count campaign argues that the labeling system is flawed. “The problem… is that the methodology they plan to use to measure environmental impacts of clothing… currently excludes critical environmental impacts and does not reflect the EU’s own sustainability and circularity goals,” the website states. So, if the system is flawed and the idea is great, then what is the transparent solution?
Make The Label Count
Part of the reason that the labeling is flawed is that the system still relies on misleading ideas from 2013 that aren’t in-line with how the world understands climate change and fashion’s impact today. Make The Label Count is proposing the grading system to be updated to take in account several other sustainable factors:
Renewability & Biodegradability: Circular is a new buzzword within the fashion industry that takes into account an items’ end of life. Can it be recycled? Is it biodegradable? The most sustainable items won’t create waste, but can be reused or biodegrade naturally into the earth.
Microplastics: Every time we wash clothing made from plastic-based fabrics like polyester, they release tiny pieces of microplastics that make their way into our water resources. Knowing facts like this beforehand could deter shoppers away from synthetic fabrics towards natural materials like cotton, linen, wool or hemp which use fewer resources- water, fossil fuels, land, etc to make.
Durability: One of fast fashion’s dirty little secrets is that clothing is made to fall apart to prompt you to buy more. But, this buy and dispose model creates an unsustainable amount of waste. Fast fashion is the single-use plastic of the fashion industry. Clothing that is made to last has a small environmental footprint.
Social Impact: Fashion is never worth exploitation, human rights violations or depleting local towns of their resources just for cheap clothing to be sold at cheap prices. Labels should reflect the social-economic process of clothing.
How Can You Be Involved?
Whether or not you’re based within the EU these labels will have an impact on the fashion industry. They’re a landmark for the industry and are likely to be adopted globally. So, it’s imperative that they’re up-to-date with science, accurate and not misleading. If you want to learn more you can go onto MakeTheLabelCount.org where you can read more information or join the conversation on social media.