RESOURCE HUB
Thank you for joining us to Do Less for the Planet! By making small lifestyle changes, like simply buying less, washing less, and wasting less, we can reduce plastic pollution and the harm it causes to our environment and health.
BUY LESS
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BUY LESS •
The fashion industry has a plastic problem. We don’t often think of the clothes we buy as a form of plastic pollution, but the majority of our clothing is made of plastic-based fibers. Meanwhile, consumers are encouraged to constantly buy more to keep up with the latest styles and trends. The pollution, waste, and emissions of fast fashion are fueling the plastics crisis.
YOUR CHALLENGE: Buy nothing new for one month.
DOWNLOAD:
The Sustainable Style Guide for Everyone (by BLACK PEARL)
WORKSHOP:
Closet Audit Workshop with Megan McSherry (@acteevism)
WATCH / LISTEN / READ
A 3-minute intro to fashion’s plastic problem (ver en español)
Uncover the truth behind your clothing in The True Cost
Conscious Chatter explores if “de-influencing” can help combat overconsumption. Listen here!
Pre-loved Podcast is all about vintage fashion. Check out this episode with Poshmark to hear tips for thrifting online.
Guardian uncovers the hidden plastics in your clothes, from labels to threads and zippers, and shares how to minimize the amount in your wardrobe.
Marie Claire UK’s Sustainability Editor committed to buying nothing new for an entire year. Read what she learned along the way.
WASH LESS
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WASH LESS •
Did you know that your clothes shed microfibers every time you wear, wash, and dry them? Since most of our clothes are plastic, microfibers are a form of plastic pollution. In fact, textiles are the largest known source of marine microplastic pollution, and these tiny fibers have even been found in the human body. Fortunately, there are easy steps you can take to reduce microfiber pollution from your own home.
YOUR CHALLENGE: Take thoughtful steps when laundering your clothes.
DOWNLOAD:
5 Gyres Guide to Reducing Microfiber Pollution at Home
WEBINAR:
Threads of Change: Solutions to Microfiber Pollution
WATCH / LISTEN / READ
The Story of Microfibers explains what really happens when we wash our clothes.
5 Gyres’ Dr. Erdle joined Conscious Chatter to share what is known about microfiber shedding from clothing and the solutions that can make an impact. Listen here!
These whitepapers explain why washing machine filters are the is the only effective, near-term solution to reduce the release of microplastics in the environment.
Two 5 Gyres Ambassadors are leading microfiber solutions in their communities! Visit #WashSmarter (Canada) and The Microfiber Initiative (California) to get involved.
WASTE LESS
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WASTE LESS •
We all have items in our closet that we don’t wear because there’s a small tear, a missing button, or a coffee stain. Fortunately, most of these imperfections can be fixed with a needle and thread, a patch, or some natural dye. By extending the life of our garments through repair, we reduce the demand for new ones and minimize textile waste. Let’s stitch together a brighter future where repairing clothes becomes the norm, and discarding clothes becomes a last resort!
YOUR CHALLENGE: Repair an item of clothing instead of throwing it away.
DIY:
How to darn a holey t-shirt (by Slow Stitch Club)
How to natural dye with avocados (by Barefoot Dyer)
Transform your old textiles with SUAY’s Community Dye Bath
WATCH / LISTEN / READ
Learn how 7.5 million pounds of donated clothes end up at a market in Ghana every week in this Business Insider video.
Read about the dirty secret behind the world’s fashion addiction.
This episode of the NothingWasted! podcast, with Elizabeth Cline, explores the textile-waste problem, innovations that are helping make fashion more sustainable, and how shifting attitudes of consumers can help.
California Product Stewardship Council led a San Francisco-based pilot project that highlighted opportunities and methods to divert post-consumer textile waste from the landfill. Read the report here.
Well Worn, by Skye Pennant, serves as a compendium for all of your wardrobe mending needs.
