Throughout the supply chain of fashion, plastic waste is inevitable.
Other than the microplastics that end up in our oceans through factory wastewater, plastic carriers and labels used for orders contribute significantly to earth’s plastic pollution problem. According to Ellen MacArthur Foundation, these packagings can add up to about 26% of plastics created annually, out of which, only 28% is recycled while others are brought to our landfills or end up in our oceans.
The battle against plastic pollution was one of the earliest sustainability issues that has permeated into public consciousness. However, one contributor is often overlooked — polybags. For their extent of usage, it is a surprise that most of us have not heard of them.
(Source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31gv+V8px-S._AC_SY580_.jpg)
Polybags are lightweight film bags that are effective in preventing moisture and small substances from damaging a product. Commonly, they are made of low-density polyethylene and are relatively cheap and resistant to tearing as compared to their counterparts. Due to these properties, poly bags have become an almost indispensable asset to retailers. For example, brands such as Patagonia have tested shipping their goods using different packagings (Cohen, 2014). From their study, they find that poly bags are the most effective in ensuring that customers receive pristine garments. For Patagonia, this benefit outweighs the negative connotations associated with using poly bags.
However, we can’t ignore the damage done by poly bags by justifying its benefits.
As Merritt (2020) warns, polybags are single-used plastic bags. As a result, they tend to be tossed away rather than recycled. Due to the nature of its composition (100% plastic), these bags can take up to 1000 years to break down on its own. Like most waste that ends up in our landfills, large amounts of energy is needed to incinerate these poly bags, releasing even more pollutants into the air such as excessive amounts of carbon dioxide.
For those that escaped the landfills, they often end up in our oceans. These plastics may break down into smaller toxic substances including some known as endocrine disruptors which accumulate in the bodies of our marine animals. Worst still, some may consume these bags as whole, causing suffocation and congestion in their digestive pathways (Das, 2019).
(Source: https://i.insider.com/5e44249e3b62b746ab6db4d5?width=1136&format=jpeg)
Adding on to the predicament, the pandemic increases consumption levels even more extensively. Koch et al. (2020) point out that as we isolate ourselves at home, online retail has increasingly become the popular alternative to satisfy our consumption needs. An estimate of 157 million bags were shipped in the US alone in 2017. With the proliferation of online shopping, especially during the pandemic, I can’t comprehend the sheer amount we would be contributing now!
As Enlund and Nilsson (2021) advise, for an industry that includes a worldwide complex supply chain and an ever increasing consumer pool, adopting sustainable decision packagings is not just desirable, but essential.
COMING UP
To understand how we can reduce plastic pollution in the fashion industry, I have approached an industry expert which prioritizes sustainable packaging and production methods. Do tune in for my next post to find out how companies are thinking of innovative ways to deal with these problems!
References
Brown, H. (2020, March 4). Unpacking fashion’s packaging problem. Retrieved from https://www.drapersonline.com/topics/sustainable-fashion/unpacking-fashions-packaging-problem.
Cohen, N., & Loughman, E. (2014). Patagonia’s Plastic Packaging–A study on the challenges of garment delivery. Récupéré le, 30.
Das, S. K. (2019). Biodegradable plastics: ecofriendly plastics. Journal of Medicinal Plants, 7(2), 103-105.
Enlund, E., & Nilsson, J. (2021). Sustainable Decision-Making in the Fashion Industry: How to influence the fashion industry to adopt more sustainable packaging solutions.
Koch, J., Frommeyer, B., & Schewe, G. (2020). Online shopping motives during the COVID-19 pandemic—lessons from the crisis. Sustainability, 12(24), 10247.
Merritt, K. (2020). The in Between: An In Depth Look at Fashion Retail Waste (Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University).
Wicker, A. (2019, January 31). No online shopping company can figure out how to quit this one plastic bag. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/1/31/18203972/polybags-plastic-online-shopping-meal-kits-patagonia
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