Slowing Down Fast Fashion with Sustainability

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2018


For this guest blog post, written by Meghan Stirpe, we will be sharing some research from PACT organic clothing. Using information from their research and advocacy team, we assembled an advice piece to discuss the importance of sustainable fashion and environmental awareness within the global clothing industry.


In the past, fashion brands would release 4-6 collections that usually correlated with the seasons. Today, many brands participate in fast fashion, a term that can be used to describe most of the clothing sold at common retailers in local malls. Fast fashion means retailers are creating and mass-producing styles quickly and in large quantities to keep customers shopping for new styles frequently, and not just when the seasons change. This mass production also means that clothing is more affordable, encouraging the consumerism that has caused clothing and textiles to become the second largest pollutant in the world behind oil and gas.


Recently in a NERC Blog, Product Stewardship Institute’s CEO Scott Cassel discussed textile pollution. Cassel shared that 83% of used textiles – including clothing, shoes, belts, and accessories – are disposed in the garbage, despite the ability for many of these items to be recycled and reused.


What happens to clothes after they are tossed in the garbage? The U.S. alone sends 13 trillion tons of clothes to landfills where they sit for 200 years, according to Ayesha Barenblat, founder of Remake. Over time, the clothes can leak chemicals and dyes into the ground, which has a profound negative impact on our earth.


As a consumer, you may be wondering what you can do to help reduce this enormous amount of waste from hurting the environment. Conveniently, you have the ability to effect change well in advance before disposing a piece of clothing. In fact, by understanding how clothes are manufactured responsibly, you can make smarter and greener purchases; you can also learn about options for recycling your clothes, and keep your shopping habits sensible and environmentally-friendly. 


Sustainably Manufactured Clothing


Man-made materials are thought to be the first culprit when people think of clothing that disregards environmentally-friendly practices. It requires an enormous amount of energy to produce man-made (synthetic) fabrics like polyester, which generates toxic emissions and relies on the use of crude oil and other non-renewable energy resources. However, “natural” fabrics can leave a footprint on the environment as well. Although cotton is a versatile fiber used to manufacture clothing, it also has considerable environmental implications when farmed conventionally.


Cotton is grown globally, with China, India, and the United States being the leading producers. Conventionally-grown cotton uses pesticides and other chemicals to help it grow; accounting for roughly one quarter of all the pesticides used in the U.S.

To combat the frequent use of pesticides, a number of textile manufacturing companies have started sourcing organic cotton to produce their clothing. According to the Textile Exchange 2016 Organic Cotton Market report, harvesting organic cotton in the 2014-2015 season saved 218 billion liters of water and 315,030 kilograms of hazardous pesticides compared to conventional cotton.


Textile manufacturers are taking note! More companies than ever before are making the investment and focusing on environmental and customer health through the adoption of transparent policies on material sourcing and manufacturing. Today, companies are producing clothing that is Fair Trade and Fair Labor Certified, up to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), and adheres to the Responsible Wool Standard. Each certification and environmental standard that textile manufactures invest in and support helps farmers and companies apply best practices when it comes to farming techniques, technology, animal treatment, and textile manufacturing. 


How to Shop Smarter


Shopping smarter starts with purchasing fewer items of higher quality. Investing in slow fashion helps money go farther because the clothing is designed to last longer. A great way to implement this practice is to consider building a capsule wardrobe, which transforms a few high-quality staple pieces into dozens of unique and sustainable outfit combinations.


Another way to shop smarter is to shop with companies who are, in fact, certified by some of the previously mentioned organizations. For example, PACT is an organic clothing company that has a mission to “create the comfiest clothes in the world without destroying the earth, or harming people.” With a goal like this, PACT joined forces with Fair Trade factories to source organic cotton and other sustainable fibers for their clothing products.


Among other companies that invest in sustainable practices, Patagonia shares their sustainability promises that also promote recycling and reuse. The Worn Wear store section of their site sells used Patagonia gear that has been refurbished for resale. Patagonia asks customers to share their #WornWear stories, while encouraging them to repair their own gear with Patagonia’s Repair & Care resource section-- a practice that truly makes clothing last longer.


Lastly, label shop. When shopping, look for labels that highlight their sustainability efforts, materials and sources: labels with certifications such as the Organic Exchange (OE), the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), or Responsible Wool Standard (RWS). If you’re shopping online, the company’s established corporate and environmental policies within their “about” page is a great place to learn more about their manufacturing and recycling standards. 


How to Recycle Your Clothing Responsibly


There will come a time in the clothing lifecycle where it will no longer be of use to you. When it’s time to part with your clothing, here are a few ways you can recycle or reuse it responsibly.

  • Sell
  • Upcycle
  • Donate


Check with your local second-hand shops and consignment stores for opportunities to resell unwanted clothing. The Council for Textile Recycling has a searchable database of textile donation/recycling locations around the US. A web search will yield lots of ways that used clothing can be repurposed or upcycled into “new” items. Remember, even worn or stained clothing, as long as it is washed and dried, can be recycled through charitable organizations including Planet Aid, Goodwill, and Salvation Army.


Meghan Stirpe is an environmental advocacy researcher within the fashion and textile industry. Her efforts are focused on raising awareness about the impact of fast fashion on the environment and textile industry. Working with environmentally-conscious community leaders, she helps encourages individuals to make sustainable purchases, recycle used items, and volunteer. In her free time, Meghan enjoys camping, hiking, and exploring the great outdoors.


NERC welcomes Guest Blog submissions. To inquire about submitting articles contact Athena Lee Bradley, Projects Manager at athena(at)nerc.org. Disclaimer: Guest blogs represent the opinion of the writers and may not reflect the policy or position of the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. This is not a paid or sponsored collaboration.


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Circular Action Alliance

By Sophie Leone • August 25, 2026
Circular Action Alliance (CAA) was founded in 2022 and is a U.S. Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). As a PRO they are dedicated to the implementation of effective Extended Producer Responsibility laws for paper and packaging. CAA operates as the single PRO in California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington. Additionally, they are the only organization that is approved to implement U.S. EPR laws for paper and packaging. CAA's dedicated and important work is built off a comprehensive list of strategic operating principles. These principles include delivering cost effective services, supporting and incentivizing innovation in packaging design, supporting responsible end markets, and enhancing the collection of covered materials. CAA not only works with the producers but with the greater industry as well, providing free webinars, public resources, state updates, and more. "We're excited to join NERC and contribute to its long legacy of regional collaboration," said Bridget Anderson, Director of Emerging States at Circular Action Alliance. "As we implement EPR programs in multiple states, organizations like NERC help us better understand regional nuances and trends in the recycling system." NERC is excited to welcome the Circular Action Alliance. As a fellow non-profit, we look forward to supporting their growing impact and the important work they do with EPR. For more information on CAA visit.

G&A's Sustainability Highlights

By Access Newswire • August 20, 2026
We are more than halfway through 2026, making this a good moment to reflect on what stands out from all the recent change in the sustainability landscape. We review news about sustainability all week, every week, but we also work closely with clients in a range of industries who are dealing with the daily work of environmental protection, social advancement, governance integrity, and - perhaps the most complicated aspect - how to talk about it all. So, while the loudest headlines have been about retreat in regulations, target-setting, hiring, and corporate reporting, there is another truth worth telling: what companies do has not changed much. The stories in this issue of Sustainability Highlights explore the two sides of this contrast. In Forbes, Anjali Chaudhry assembles the numbers behind "greenhushing." EcoVadis found 87% of U.S. companies maintained or increased sustainability investment in 2025 and only 7% cut, while 31% of executives invested more and said less. Forbes investigated whether the silence paid off, and found it was not the safe harbor companies expected: 98% of businesses in a 2026 procurement survey had lost contract opportunities for not sharing sustainability credentials. Standard-setters may have a sense of why this is. In Eco-Business, Global Reporting Initiative chief executive Robin Hodess says GRI has seen no decline in reporting numbers, with four in five of the largest global companies still using GRI Standards. Offering a clue about why reporting has stayed strong this year, she makes a business case for robust disclosures: "I've never met an investor who wants less information." The size and tenor of the comment file received by the SEC over the past few months bears out Hodess' view. As Responsible Investor reports, Vanguard - the world's second-largest asset manager - is the largest investor to oppose scrapping the climate rules, telling the Commission there is value in standardized, comparable disclosure of material risks - climate among them. TIAA and Nuveen argued for a simplified rule rather than none, warning of a "mosaic of state-specific requirements." If sustainability were receding, we wouldn't be hearing about more hours for lawyers. Corporate Disclosures picked up Side by Side , our new research with Ropes & Gray, and led with a finding that surprised us too: 39% of the sustainability professionals surveyed now report into the legal department, against 17% reporting to the CEO. According to 87% of them, and 84% of their legal counterparts, interaction has increased because of regulation. California's climate laws and the CSRD each were named by 75% of our respondents as the most pressing reason for greater collaboration between legal and sustainability teams. Majorities in both groups expected legal's role to grow; not a single respondent expected it to shrink. Capital is moving the same way. ESG Dive reports U.S. sustainable funds drew roughly $3 billion in the second quarter - the first positive quarter since 2022, ending 14 straight quarters of outflows and lifting assets to a record $398 billion. But the developments also show signs of caution: the money went to passive strategies, active funds shed $3.6 billion, and 22 funds closed against three launches. Other timely news delves into AI's role in sustainability matters. Inside Climate News reports on applications increasing oil and gas output, MIT Sloan cites the climate costs and benefits of AI tools, and we found two takes on whether data centers and clean power can share a grid. These stories paint the backdrop for our new issue brief on Responsible AI Due Diligence , which is a guide to the OECD's first guidance for the AI value chain. On circularity, the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation is in force this month, including PFAS limits on food-contact packaging. The Northeast Recycling Council has mapped policies on producer stewardship in 11 U.S. states, offering useful context for our resource paper on the EU's PPWR and our EPR support work. Also inside: $20 billion in climate grants unblocked on appeal, and the world's largest carbon removal plant due online by year's end. This is just the introduction of G&A's Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue. Read on Access Newswire .

Bethlehem First Selectman Provides Update on Disposal of Tires at Transfer Station

By Nancy Dzija Vaughan | Prime Publishers • August 12, 2026
BETHLEHEM – First Selectman Raymond Butkus provided an update to the Board of Selectmen last Tuesday that included an announcement regarding the disposal of tires at the transfer station. Mr. Butkus said the CT Tire Stewardship program has gone into effect, According to the Northeast Recycling Council website, “the Connecticut Tire Stewardship (CTS) is the nonprofit organization responsible for implementing Connecticut’s Tire Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program. Working with municipal transfer stations, tire retailers, auto shops, car dealerships, and other collection partners, CTS helps ensure discarded tires are responsibly collected, recycled, and put to beneficial new uses.” The website goes on to state, “Approximately 3.5 million tires reach the end of their useful life in Connecticut each year. Through its statewide Roll Recycle Renew program, CTS provides residents with free tire recycling opportunities while giving municipalities a practical solution for managing scrap tires. By making responsible disposal more accessible, the program helps reduce illegal dumping, protect waterways and natural resources, and keep tires out of landfills.” Mr. Butkus said town residents will now be able to bring most tires to the town transfer at no cost. Tires will be accepted both on and off the rim. The exception is large tractor tires, tires for construction equipment, or excessively dirty tires. These tires will still ne accepted, however, there will be a fee for disposal. Mr. Butkus also reported that he held a meeting last week regarding the rewiring of the computer equipment at Town Hall. The project is expected to begin this week and will likely be completed by August 20. A new monitor has been located in the hallway of Town Hall. This monitor will be used to display a list of upcoming meetings along with announcements and photographs. Read on Prime Publishers .