Is Composting Clothing Possible?
Photo by Del Barrett on Unsplash
By Lena Milton
Though it may seem strange at first, composting clothing is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. Farmers and home gardeners are familiar with composting, as are many households - but you’ve probably never thought about composting anything other than food products! Spreading the word about this easy-to-apply, sustainable method for clothing disposal can really make a difference in the fight to make the fashion industry less wasteful.
Composting is the process of breaking down organic matter, such as food scraps and yard waste, or in this case, clothing, into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. This process occurs naturally in the environment but can also be done at home. When done correctly, composting can divert up to 40% of household waste from landfills.
While most people think of composting as a way to break down food waste, clothing is also a great option to help boost your efforts to make your closet more sustainable.
Photo by Francois Le Nguyen on Unsplash
How Wasteful Is the Fashion Industry?
Every year, billions of dollars worth of clothes go to waste. In the United States alone, it is estimated that over 11.3 million tons of textile waste end up in landfills each year, most of which comes from the fashion industry.
The fashion industry has long been criticized for its wasteful practices, and with good reason. From the mass production of cheap garments to the rampant use of harmful chemicals that pollute water, the fashion industry has a significant impact on the environment.
However, there has been a growing movement towards sustainable fashion in recent years. With increasing awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry, more and more consumers are demanding ethically and sustainably produced clothing.
As a result, a number of brands are beginning to tailor their offerings to meet these demands, including implementing circular practices, strict textile quality control, and reducing waste. While there is still a long way to go, it is encouraging to see that change is happening within the fashion industry.
Benefits of Composting Clothing
Composting reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfills. For example, some clothing is made from natural fibers like cotton and wool, which break down quickly and add valuable nutrients to the compost.
Every year, billions of dollars are spent on manufacturing new clothes in a $1.5 trillion market, which requires a lot of energy and resources. By composting old clothes, we can reduce the impacts of the fashion industry as a whole.
Composting can also help you grow thriving gardens, as compost provides nutrients to soil. Building a garden behind your house or as a local community garden not only helps to reduce the carbon emissions resulting from shipping food, but also helps to increase access to healthy food and fight food deserts.
Finally, composting clothing is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
How Does Composting Work Against Global Warming?
As the world population continues to grow, so does the amount of waste we produce. Each year, billions of tons of trash, or approximately 85% of textiles, are sent to landfills, where it decomposes and releases methane gas into the atmosphere. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, so it's essential to find ways to reduce our waste. One way to do this is through composting.
Composting not only reduces global methane emissions but also helps improve soil quality and provides valuable nutrients for plants. In addition, composting can be used to offset other greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide. As such, it is a vital tool in the fight against global warming.
How To Compost Clothing
Clothing made from natural fibers, like cotton, silk and wool, will break down relatively quickly. Do not compost synthetic fabrics, as these are made from plastic and will not only take a very long time to degrade, but may contaminate soil with chemicals or microfibers.
The best way to compost clothing is to shred or cut it into small pieces. This will help to speed up the decomposition process. You can also add small pieces of shredded clothing to your regular compost bin, food scraps, and other organic matter.
Layering your compost heap with greens (coffee grounds, vegetable waste) and browns (branches, dead leaves) while keeping it in a shaded area will help insects and microorganisms do their job better. The clothing strips can act as the “glue” that brings the two types of material together. Carbon from your old textiles will provide the fuel that the microbes need to work their magic.
Pro tip: To make your composting more efficient, create compartments that will help you manage your compost chronologically. This way, you can keep track of your compost heaps and apply a first in, first out approach. Also, carefully stirring your compost heap once in a while without damaging the organisms within will help enrich your compost.
Start Composting Clothing Today
Composting clothing is something everyone can do without excessive space or costly equipment. All you need is food scraps, leaves, grass clippings, and water. Of course, you should also create shade so your compost heap isn't constantly in the sun. It'll take up to a year for the strips of clothing to be completely broken down in the composting process, but the rich plant-growing material you get is worth the wait.