How Prato in Italy is Transforming the Future of Fashion Wastes!
By:
Sayantika Chatterjee
Do you know that most of the clothes that we wear do not have recycling capability? Most of them get dumped and burned, turning into mere waste.
At this point, the Earth is not capable of absorbing the huge amount of clothing produced each year. That’s when the concept of thrifting popped up. But not everyone has enough resources to start a thrift store.
But Prato, a small town in Italy has some other plan. Let’s see what they have got for us.
- Prato Has Introduced a New Method:
The community has perfected the art of transforming old scraps into new garments. This is a one-of-a-kind situation.
This small district is home to hundreds of businesses, each specializing in a different aspect of the manufacturing process. It doesn't matter if you're spinning, weaving, or designing. Surprisingly, this town has admitted to processing 15% of all discarded clothing on the globe.
- How the Process Goes By:
Take your old dress for instance. Maybe it has become too old to hand down to someone. So, it automatically goes for recycling. The items are then arranged by color in the appropriate locations, ripped out, and cleaned. The fresh recycled material is then taken and turned into new clothing with reduced waste.
All the clothes that can't be sold second-hand arrive from around the world. And taken to the concerned company for recycling.
Here they are not only separated by color, but also by material. The place recycles almost 25 tonnes of clothes per day.
The clothes are put in a carbonizing machine, which eliminates the impurities from the robes. Then they go through a giant washing machine, where the clothes are shredded, cleaned, and dried.
Finally, the old clothes get transformed into fluffy, wool fibers. At the end of the process, the materials look like small balls of cotton: extremely soft and fragile. And then this same fiber is bought by the fashion brands to make clothes. So, you see this is the epitome of recycling.
- What Do People Have To Say About This Whole Thing?
Throughout history, the words "trash" or "rubbish" have been used as an insult. But it has now evolved into something useful. Many big-name brands are also endorsing this approach and purchasing those fibers from this place. Since they understand that reusing would save the world.
Recycling wool or cloth fiber is great for the environment. Carbon dioxide emissions are decreased by more than halved compared to when clothes are made from new material. It has an immediate impact on animal welfare, i.e, it reduces animal cruelty. There is the too almost complete elimination of dyes since fibers are recycled.
Thus, the culture in Prato is the kind of culture we need across the entire fashion industry. Because it is based on local collaboration. But are capable of showing how if these things are taken internationally, the entire industry could benefit.
