Busting the myths about sustainable fashion | Maja Nellström & Matilda Lidfeldt | TEDxGöteborg

Environmental Impact of Fashion Industry - The fashion industry is resource-intensive and contributes to climate change and water scarcity [1] - The industry has been focusing on the wrong solutions regarding environmental impact [2] - Textile recycling alone won't solve the fashion industry's environmental problem [4] - Fiber production accounts for only about 10% of the total climate impact of a cotton t-shirt, while yarn to garment production accounts for more than 70% [7] - Scaling up textile recycling in Europe from less than 1% to 10% by 2035 would only decrease the climate impact by less than 1% [9][10] - Decreasing clothing consumption by 10% would directly reduce the climate impact by 10% [10] Consumer Behavior and Transportation - Transports account for about 15% of the total climate impact of a cotton t-shirt [12] - User transport (transport to and from the store) accounts for about 13% of the total climate impact, which is more than the t-shirt's trip across the ocean [14] - Buying secondhand clothes can lower the carbon footprint only if it leads to less consumption of new clothes [19] Recommendations for Consumers - Focus on using what is already in the wardrobe [21] - When shopping for clothes, choose walking, cycling, or public transportation whenever possible [21] - Buy only the clothes that will be used, whether new or secondhand [21] - Buying less is more effective than buying smarter when it comes to fashion and the climate [21]