The hidden cost of our clothes

Have you ever considered how our choice of clothes impacts the environment? A pair of denim jeans uses around 7,500 liters of water to be produced. That's the equivalent of around 50 bathtubs. Considering the land and water usage for growing the cotton, the energy intensive manufacturing process and synthetic chemicals added to the jeans during production, that's a huge environmental impact. 

The hidden water costs of the clothes we buy is not something that usually comes to mind. Cotton accounts for around 24% of global fibre production and is used to produce fabrics such as denim, jersey and velvet. It is also blended with other fibres such as polyester. The cotton plant is one of the most water intensive crops to grow. To produce 1kg of cotton uses 10,000 litres of water. The majority of cotton is produced by low income farmers in countries like India, Pakistan and Uzbekistan with many regions already under water stress. Low income farmers can't afford efficient irrigation systems and instead often have to exploit unsustainable sources. 

Water consumption isn't the only environmental cost of cotton production. Unfair prices mean farmers are under pressure to maximize yields to survive financially, so they rely heavily on cheap pesticides and fertilizers. Overuse of these chemicals creates runoff, which eventually ends up polluting water sources. 

However, swapping from cotton to synthetic fibres doesn't necessarily solve the problem and may even be worse. Unlike cotton which is biodegradable, they are produced using non-renewable fossil fuels and shed microplastics throughout their life span, taking hundreds of years to degrade. The energy used to produce garments made of synthetic materials is significantly higher. The production of polyester fibres uses around 40% more energy than cotton fibres.

The environmental impact continues, once the raw materials have been produced. Turning these fibres into finished garments requires significant amounts of energy, water and chemicals. Manufacturing of garments contributes 10% of global greenhouse gases. With a majority of factories located in developing countries, the energy used is mostly supplied by fossil fuels. 

The dyeing and finishing process of garment manufacture is inefficient and relies on toxic chemicals that persist in the environment. Not only is water used during the manufacturing process to apply the chemicals, a large amount of fresh water is required to dilute waste chemicals to safe levels before discharge. 

Technologies are being developed to make clothing production more sustainable. One such method is waterless dyeing. Air dyeing and foam dyeing can be used as low water and less energy intensive alternatives. These methods require less chemicals as they are directly applied to the garments. However scaling up these new technologies to meet clothing demand requires a large capital investment for new machinery. 

With clothing production placing such pressure on water, energy and natural resources, the choices we make as consumers can play an important role. So, what can we do to reduce the environmental impact of the clothes we buy?

There are many alternative materials which are more sustainable than conventional cotton and polyester. These include hemp, organic linen and lyocell, which is made from wood pulp based fibres. There is also clothing available made from recycled cotton and recycled polyester, however these are often mixed with virgin materials.

Organic cotton uses less fertilizers and pesticides, although it still requires a lot of water. Organic cotton made up only 2.9% of global cotton production in 2023/24. However this is projected to increase along with fairtrade and sustainable cotton production. There are companies which are centred around sustainable and ethical clothing at affordable prices. Companies such as Yes Friends only use organic cotton and non toxic dyes, while paying their workers fairly.

An even better way to reduce your environmental impact is to buy secondhand clothes or attend a clothes swap event. You can find information about Cambridge Carbon Footprint’s upcoming clothes swap events and useful resources for organising your own on their website. 

A way to extend the life of your clothes is to wash them less often at a lower temperature and lower spin. Turning clothes inside out is a good trick to prevent fading and protect prints. It is better to air dry clothes rather than using a tumble dryer to save energy and prolong the life of the clothes. If clothes do get damaged you might be able to get them repaired. You can find out more about repair cafes on the Cambridge Carbon Footprint’s website here.

Here are some questions to consider when buying new clothes: 

• Do I need it? 
• How long will I wear it? 
• How will I care for it? 
• And what will happen to it when I no longer want it?

Feeding our pets sustainably

Unsurprisingly the biggest impact of our pets on the environment is from the production of meat-based pet food. There are approximately 15.5 million dogs and 13 million cats in the UK, which comprises 78% of the UKs total pet population (Source: UK Pet Food). A study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production entitled “Estimating the environmental impact of dog foods marketed in the UK” found dog food ingredients accounted for 0.9-1.3% of the UKs greenhouse gas emissions. While there hasn't been a comprehensive study looking at the environmental impact of cat food in the UK, this is likely to be higher due to cats being obligate carnivores. With pet food having such a significant environmental footprint, what can we actually do about it without compromising our pets' health?

A study looking at the environmental impact of diets for dogs and cats found that commercially available wet food diets had a significantly greater impact on the environment compared to commercially available dry food diets. There are a number of reasons including: the use of animal by-products from the meat industry, dry food having a lower water content and therefore being lighter to ship, dry food being less likely to spoil, and the composition of dry food typically having more plant based carbohydrates.

Many pet food companies are now incorporating upcycled ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, with some brands such as Planet Pet Society purely using upcycled ingredients for their products. Raising livestock or growing grains and vegetables specifically for the pet food industry uses unnecessary land and water. By using animal by-products from meat intended for human consumption and surplus or wonky grains and vegetables instead, this land can be returned to nature. Look for words and phrases such as “surplus”, “rescued” or “sourced from the human food chain” on the product packaging to identify products utilising upcycled ingredients.

Pet food products using alternative sources of protein are becoming increasingly available. Better Origin based in Cambridge offers sustainably farmed insect based pet food ingredients for companies such as Grub Club, Tuggs and Some Grub. They also offer their own range of pet food products. Farmed insects have a small environmental impact compared to conventional livestock farming. Insects can turn waste products into a highly nutritious and protein rich product, eliminating the need for land used to produce livestock feed. There are also many plant based pet food products available. Plant based ingredients naturally lack nutrition that cats and dogs need so choosing formulated pet foods is important. Companies such as Benevo offer nutritionally complete cat and dog food. 

An additional aspect to consider when choosing sustainable pet food is how well the nutrients are absorbed. Giving your pets low-quality food means it will pass through their system without providing adequate nutrition. As a result, your pet will eat more food to compensate. Higher quality brands focus on providing the correct nutrition, as well as high digestibility so the body can easily utilise the nutrients. Products aimed for pets with food sensitivities and allergies use hydrolyzed proteins. The hydrolyzation process breaks down proteins into tiny components, making them incredibly easy to absorb as well as being very gentle on sensitive stomachs which reduces regurgitation.

Another important consideration when choosing pet food is packaging. In the UK pet food packaging has a low recycling rate, with billions of pet food pouches ending up in landfill every year. This is due to a majority of UK councils not accepting flexible plastics on kerbside collection and being unable to process multi layered plastics. Greater Cambridge Shared Waste is one of the few waste collections that accepts flexible plastics, so larger single layered pet food packaging such as dry food bags can be recycled at kerbside. Packaging consisting of multi layered materials and all pet food pouches, even single layered, are not accepted. These can be dropped off at certain supermarkets and pet stores for specialised processing provided that they are washed and dried. It is also worth considering that larger bags of dry food have less packaging per portion of pet food than trays or pouches. 

Every pet has different dietary requirements and preferences so not all products available will be suitable, however there are likely to be changes we can implement to make our pets’ diets more sustainable. Start by trying out some sustainable alternatives and if your pet likes it, gradually introduce it to your pet's diet. With any pet food, weigh out your pet's meals according to the product's feeding guide. Not overfeeding your pet reduces waste and keeps your pet healthy. Small but well-informed changes in what we buy and how much we feed can reduce the environmental footprint of our pets, without compromising their health.