Our Impact Pact
These days, all kinds of brands are chirping about “sustainability,” “eco-friendliness,” and “all-natural ingredients.” What’s a girl to believe? That’s why we’re cutting through the marketing speak with hardass facts. Keep reading to see how we (that’s Knickey AND you) fit into the global effort to clean up the industry.
Our Impact Pact
These days, all kinds of brands are chirping about “sustainability,” “eco-friendliness,” and “all-natural ingredients.” What’s a girl to believe? That’s why we’re cutting through the marketing speak with hardass facts. Keep reading to see how we (that’s Knickey AND you) fit into the global effort to clean up the industry.
Fashion Needs to Get Woke
In 2016, the apparel and footwear industries generated approximately 10% of global pollution alone! Greenhouse gas emissions add some 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 each year, which is more than all international flights and marine shipping combined.
The Problem
Real talk: worldwide clothing production has doubled over the last 15 years, and is expected to increase another 60% by 2030 as the population grows. As one of the most polluting industries in the world, fashion is extremely resource intensive [using up nearly 100 million tons of non-renewable resources each year] and its fabulous seasonal outputs can be just as detrimental to the earth’s long-term health.
Our Promise
Don’t worry, the future doesn’t have to be so bleak. By making better choices across the supply chain, we can conserve more natural resources and prevent further detriment to the environment - combating pollution, reducing waste creation and preventing forced labor.
In 2016, the apparel and footwear industries generated approximately 10% of global pollution alone! Greenhouse gas emissions add some 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 each year, which is more than all international flights and marine shipping combined.
The Problem
Real talk: worldwide clothing production has doubled over the last 15 years, and is expected to increase another 60% by 2030 as the population grows. As one of the most polluting industries in the world, fashion is extremely resource intensive [using up nearly 100 million tons of non-renewable resources each year] and its fabulous seasonal outputs can be just as detrimental to the earth’s long-term health.
The Dirty Deets
Our planet can’t keep up with this demand. What’s needed of land, water, energy and humans to answer the pace of fashion production exceeds what experts call our “planetary boundaries.”
An estimated 342 million barrels of oil are turned into synthetic clothing every year, which is equivalent to 3 trillion plastic bottles. This accounts for about 60% of clothing today - gross! Polyester production creates more than three times the amount of greenhouse gases than organic cotton in production.
As a complex global system, the fashion industry employs over 75 Million humans worldwide. With higher demand for production, that number is increasing, while wages are too often sadly decreasing.
Our Promise
Don’t worry, the future doesn’t have to be so bleak. By making better choices across the supply chain, we can conserve more natural resources and prevent further detriment to the environment - combating pollution, reducing waste creation and preventing forced labor.
The Dirty Deets
Our planet can’t keep up with this demand. What’s needed of land, water, energy and humans to answer the pace of fashion production exceeds what experts call our “planetary boundaries.”
An estimated 342 million barrels of oil are turned into synthetic clothing every year, which is equivalent to 3 trillion plastic bottles. This accounts for about 60% of clothing today - gross! Polyester production creates more than three times the amount of greenhouse gases than organic cotton in production.
As a complex global system, the fashion industry employs over 75 Million humans worldwide. With higher demand for production, that number is increasing, while wages are too often sadly decreasing.
On The Brightside
Organic cotton fiber actually utilizes less energy and water to produce than both conventional cotton and its pesky polyester alternatives.
Choosing a natural fiber like organic cotton helps to eliminate the use of crude oil and precious fossil fuels in apparel manufacturing - thereby reducing carbon emissions and preserving natural resources.
Our Fair Trade certified factories guarantee workers living wages and provide additional funding to invest in local communities.
THE PROBLEM
Toxic Threads
Over 8000 different chemicals are used to produce, dye and finish the textiles that make our clothing - that equates to 43 million tons of chemicals each year.
While many chemicals may not pose a threat to human health, other key chemicals used in textile production have known effects on human and environmental health - but are still regularly used by mainstream brands.
In fact, only a fraction of all textile-related substances have undergone toxicity testing for safety to work with - and even fewer to wear. Some are known carcinogens [read: cancer-causing], endocrine disruptors which are extremely harmful to hormonal systems and reproductive health. Ingredients for many of these chemicals are actually protected by “Trade Secrets” and can’t be properly tested for human safety.
20% of industrial wastewater pollution worldwide originates from the textile industry, polluting local rivers, impacting bathing and drinking, and entering the food stream, causing disease and terminal illnesses in many of the local communities.
Clean Up Your Act
You may be surprised to learn that a garment’s largest environmental impact happens well after the farm or factory phases of its life. Not so fun fact - it’s when it gets home to you. The good news is, you have all the power to change that.
The Problem
The average human buys 60% more clothing and keeps it half as long as they used to 15 years ago.
Synthetics fibers [like polyester and nylon] shed little plastic fragments called microfibers when they’re washed. Right now we’re releasing about ½ million of these microfibers into our oceans each year. That’s basically 50 billion plastic bottles...
Most of the environmental impact of laundry comes from energy use in heating up the water in the washing machine, and then machine drying your clothes.
All done - what now? Every second, one garbage truck of textiles is dropped in a landfill or incinerated. In the US alone, 85% of clothing ends up in a landfill. Textile waste per person in the US is now 102 lbs per person, per year!
What Can I Do?
If you double the number of times you wear a piece of clothing, you could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 44%! #nobrainer
Choose organic natural fibers instead of plastics-based polyesters to reduce this hugely concerning environmental impact, and for those must-have moisture-wicking yoga pants, grab a specialized laundry bag to prevent more microfiber mayhem.
Switching from hot water to cold would prevent 500 lbs of CO2 from entering the atmosphere every year. Easy peasy. And if you really want to go for gold, use a low-impact organic detergent and hang dry. If you did this for just six months - you would eliminate up to 700 pounds of greenhouse gases annually. High five!
Little did you know, 95% of clothing that is thrown in the trash could be recycled - even your old undies. Recycling textiles diverts an otherwise huge waste of resources and can save up to 70% of the energy and 40% of the CO2 as compared to virgin material production - win, win win.
The Problem
The average human buys 60% more clothing and keeps it half as long as they used to 15 years ago.
Synthetics fibers [like polyester and nylon] shed little plastic fragments called microfibers when they’re washed. Right now we’re releasing about ½ million of these microfibers into our oceans each year. That’s basically 50 billion plastic bottles...
Most of the environmental impact of laundry comes from energy use in heating up the water in the washing machine, and then machine drying your clothes.
All done - what now? Every second, one garbage truck of textiles is dropped in a landfill or incinerated. In the US alone, 85% of clothing ends up in a landfill. Textile waste per person in the US is now 102 lbs per person, per year!
What Can I Do?
If you double the number of times you wear a piece of clothing, you could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 44%! #nobrainer
Choose organic natural fibers instead of plastics-based polyesters to reduce this hugely concerning environmental impact, and for those must-have moisture-wicking yoga pants, grab a specialized laundry bag to prevent more microfiber mayhem.
Switching from hot water to cold would prevent 500 lbs of CO2 from entering the atmosphere every year. Easy peasy. And if you really want to go for gold, use a low-impact organic detergent and hang dry. If you did this for just six months - you would eliminate up to 700 pounds of greenhouse gases annually. High five!
Little did you know, 95% of clothing that is thrown in the trash could be recycled - even your old undies. Recycling textiles diverts an otherwise huge waste of resources and can save up to 70% of the energy and 40% of the CO2 as compared to virgin material production - win, win win.
Knickey Recycles
We’re working with an expert industry partner to keep your old undies out of the landfill! Recycled textiles are turned into new materials like insulation and mattress batting. Skip the trash can and recycle your old intimates with your next delivery of Knickeys.
Start NowKnickey Recycles
We’re working with an expert industry partner to keep your old undies out of the landfill! Recycled textiles are turned into new materials like insulation and mattress batting. Skip the trash can and recycle your old intimates with your next delivery of Knickeys.
Start Now