Have you ever thought about how the clothes you wear impact our water systems?
When we think about water and clothing we may think about doing laundry. But did you know that it takes thousands of litres of water to grow the materials for your clothes, and make them? According to the United Nations,it takes around 7 500 litres of water to manufacture a single pair of jeans.
And that’s not all. The clothing industry is one of the biggest water polluters on the planet. It is responsible for about one fifth of all industrial water pollution!
Let’s take a closer look at the impacts of clothing on water.
How does farming impact water?
Clothing has a major impact on water at every stage of itslife cycle. Many natural fibres, likecotton and flax, need a lot of water to grow. For example, it takes about 2 700 litres of water to grow enough cotton to make just one T-shirt.
Growing plants for fibre also pollutes water withpesticides and fertilizers. These chemicals caninto nearby lakes and rivers. It can also seep intogroundwater.
Some of our clothing fibres come from animals like sheep and alpacas. Humans sometimes raise these animals in large numbers. When this happens, animal waste can lead to high levels of phosphorus and other toxins in waterways.
Field of cotton beside a group of sheep (©2021 Let’s Talk Science).
Shown is a colour illustration of white sheep in a green field next to rows of cotton plants.
On the left are rows of brown plants stretching from the bottom of the picture to the horizon. The plants are dotted with small, fluffy white structures, like pom poms.
On the right is a green field surrounded by a brown fence. There are five fluffy white sheep on the grass inside.
The sky is blue with fluffy white clouds near the horizon.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour illustration of white sheep in a green field next to rows of cotton plants.
On the left are rows of brown plants stretching from the bottom of the picture to the horizon. The plants are dotted with small, fluffy white structures, like pom poms.
On the right is a green field surrounded by a brown fence. There are five fluffy white sheep on the grass inside.
The sky is blue with fluffy white clouds near the horizon.
Did You Know?
The Aral Sea was once the fourth largest lake in the world. It was home to 24 species of fish until farmers started using it to water cotton fields.In just 50 years, the sea dried up, leaving a toxic desert behind.
After the farming stage, textiles are sent to be processed and made into clothing. This is when the most water pollution happens. Fabrics are put in huge vats of water where they are bleached, dyed and using harsh chemicals. The leftover, chemical-filled, water from this process is called.
Dye pollution from clothing factories (©2021 Let’s Talk Science)
Shown is a colour illustration of three factories with large pipes pouring colourful liquid into a river.
There are three buildings with tall windows and smokestacks along a river bank. Two are grey and one is brown. Each one has a large grey pipe extending from the front wall into the river. The liquid from the first factory is pink, the second is orange, and the third is yellow. All the colourful liquid combines as it flows down in the blue river.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour illustration of three factories with large pipes pouring colourful liquid into a river.
There are three buildings with tall windows and smokestacks along a river bank. Two are grey and one is brown. Each one has a large grey pipe extending from the front wall into the river. The liquid from the first factory is pink, the second is orange, and the third is yellow. All the colourful liquid combines as it flows down in the blue river.
Wastewater often contains metals like copper, arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and cobalt. These metals can end up in waterways near clothing factories. They can even end up in drinking water. Heavy metals can be poisonous to both humans and animals.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of a glass of water with six different coloured cubes floating in it.
A tall, transparent glass of clear liquid sits on a green background. Pink, purple, green, yellow, and brown cubes float in the liquid.
A group of synthetic dyes used to give clothing vibrant colours. These dyes contaminate waterways and they don’tover time. Azo dyes can destroy ecosystems and cause severe illness in humans and animals.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of a person dyeing fabric purple.
A person is shown from the neck down. They are wearing a pale purple t-shirt and a darker purple apron with purple gloves up to the elbows. They have their hands in a black vat that is purple inside. They are holding and moving purple fabricwith both hands.
The room around the person is dark, and filled with other black vats with different colours inside.
A chemical used to make clothing wrinkle-free, antibacterial and waterproof. Exposure to formaldehyde can make animals and people sick. When formaldehyde breaks down, it releases a toxic gas called carbon monoxide into the air.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of a pair of jeans being sprayed with yellow liquid.
A pair of blue jeans are hanging in front of an orange background. Two clips hold the waist band near the top of the image. Two more clips pull both legs down at the bottom. Yellow liquid is spraying onto the jeans from outside the frame. One spray from the right, one from the left, and one from the bottom.
Wastewater often contains metals like copper, arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and cobalt. These metals can end up in waterways near clothing factories. They can even end up in drinking water. Heavy metals can be poisonous to both humans and animals.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of a glass of water with six different coloured cubes floating in it.
A tall, transparent glass of clear liquid sits on a green background. Pink, purple, green, yellow, and brown cubes float in the liquid.
A group of synthetic dyes used to give clothing vibrant colours. These dyes contaminate waterways and they don’tover time. Azo dyes can destroy ecosystems and cause severe illness in humans and animals.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of a person dyeing fabric purple.
A person is shown from the neck down. They are wearing a pale purple t-shirt and a darker purple apron with purple gloves up to the elbows. They have their hands in a black vat that is purple inside. They are holding and moving purple fabricwith both hands.
The room around the person is dark, and filled with other black vats with different colours inside.
A chemical used to make clothing wrinkle-free, antibacterial and waterproof. Exposure to formaldehyde can make animals and people sick. When formaldehyde breaks down, it releases a toxic gas called carbon monoxide into the air.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of a pair of jeans being sprayed with yellow liquid.
A pair of blue jeans are hanging in front of an orange background. Two clips hold the waist band near the top of the image. Two more clips pull both legs down at the bottom. Yellow liquid is spraying onto the jeans from outside the frame. One spray from the right, one from the left, and one from the bottom.
These are just three examples of the many pollutants in the from clothing manufacturing. Over 70 toxic chemicals have been found in water, just from the dyeing process.Of these 70 chemicals, 30 cannot ever be removed from the water.
Where does this water go after it is used?
In 2012, Environment Canada released a set of regulations for . They require that95% of pollutants are removed from , before they release it back into waterways.
Many countries do not have strict pollution laws like this. Manufacturers often dump into local waterways without treatment. This is called. For example, theNoyyal river in Tirupur,India is full of toxic chemicals from nearby clothing manufacturers.
India: How Our Clothes Cause Water Pollution (11:55) - DW Planet A
Treating is expensive and challenging. Even when is , some chemicals can never be removed from the water. This is why people all over the world work to defend sources of clean water. Do you know who your local water protectors are?
What is household water pollution?
Have you ever thought about the water you use to wash your clothes?An average load of laundry uses between 60 and 90 litres of water.
Just because your clothes come out clean, doesn’t mean your wash water does. Remember those harmful chemicals and dyes from the manufacturing process? When you do laundry, the chemicals left in your clothes are released into the wash water.
The detergent we use can contain phosphates, bleach and other harmful chemicals. These also pollute the water. In most places in Canada, is before it goes back into our waterways. But some chemicals from detergents can still get past the treatment process and harm ecosystems.
Laundry room (©2021 Let’s Talk Science)
Shown is a colour illustration of a clothes washer and dryer, side-by-side in a laundry room.
Two white machines with round doors on the fronts sit side-by-side on the grey floor. The room has yellow walls and a high window. There is a brown shelf to the right, with spray bottles and other containers on it. To the left, there is a table with a pile of folded laundry.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour illustration of a clothes washer and dryer, side-by-side in a laundry room.
Two white machines with round doors on the fronts sit side-by-side on the grey floor. The room has yellow walls and a high window. There is a brown shelf to the right, with spray bottles and other containers on it. To the left, there is a table with a pile of folded laundry.
Did You Know?
Wastewater in Canada is notthe same everywhere. The amount of water depends on many different factors. Some of these include government regulations, local temperatures and the technology available. Many Indigenous communities in Canada do not have proper treatment plants andare under boil water advisories.
When we wash clothing made ofsynthetic fibres like nylon, spandex or polyester, we release tiny pieces of plastic into the water. These are calledmicrofibres or microplastics. Microplastics are so small that they can’t be filtered out by standard water treatment processes. They are another source of pollution in our ecosystems.
Washing machines releasing microplastics (©2021 Let’s Talk Science)
Shown is a colour illustration of washing machines surrounded by microplastics, in sand, next to water.
Three white, front-loadingwashing machines are sitting on a sandy beach. The doors of the machines are open, and the sand in front of them is covered in microplastics. Waves roll up onto the sand. Microplastics are in the water too.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour illustration of washing machines surrounded by microplastics, in sand, next to water.
Three white, front-loadingwashing machines are sitting on a sandy beach. The doors of the machines are open, and the sand in front of them is covered in microplastics. Waves roll up onto the sand. Microplastics are in the water too.
Did You Know?
A report calledme, my clothes and the ocean(2019) by Ocean Wise estimates that the average Canadian household releases 533 million microfibres into the water through laundry every year.
Companies can reduce and recycle their water instead of using fresh water for each new batch of fabric.
Reducing and Recycling Water
Companies can reduce and recycle their water instead of using fresh water for each new batch of fabric.
Companies can ensure that toxic chemicals, dyes and heavy metals are removed from their wastewater before it gets dumped into local waterways. Some companies are choosing innovative solutions likeelectron beamsorbacteriato treat their water.
Treatment of Wastewater
Companies can ensure that toxic chemicals, dyes and heavy metals are removed from their wastewater before it gets dumped into local waterways. Some companies are choosing innovative solutions likeelectron beamsorbacteriato treat their water.
Companies can use more sustainable and environmentally-friendly processes. These include using less water for dyeing and choosing safer bleaches and dyes. One company doing this isBella+Canvas in Los Angeles.
Go Green
Companies can use more sustainable and environmentally-friendly processes. These include using less water for dyeing and choosing safer bleaches and dyes. One company doing this isBella+Canvas in Los Angeles.
Researchers are exploringnew technologyto use air instead of water to dye fabrics. This would use 95% less water than traditional dyeing processes.
Air Dyeing
Researchers are exploringnew technologyto use air instead of water to dye fabrics. This would use 95% less water than traditional dyeing processes.
Companies can switch to making clothes out offibres like bamboo and abacawhich require less water and pesticides to grow.
Eco-conscious fibres
Companies can switch to making clothes out offibres like bamboo and abacawhich require less water and pesticides to grow.
What can we do at home to reduce water pollution?
Washing machines are a big source of home water use and pollution. You can wash your clothes by hand, wash them in cold water and wash them less often. All of these steps help to reduce your impact on water. Check out the wash smarter action for more suggestions.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of hands washing clothing in a sink.
Hands with brown skin reach into the frame from the right. They are holding red fabric under water in a sink. A silver metal tap is visible at the edge of the sink on the left.
Use a microplastic filter in your washing machine. You can buy different filters like theCoraball, or theGuppyFriend. You can also usethis actionto design and make your own filter.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of hands holding clothing in a transparent bag, in front of a washing machine, with other microplastic filters in the foreground.
Hands with light brown skin hold a transparent bag with a drawstring. Pink fabric is visible inside. The open door of a washing machine is visible in the background. Next to the bag is a round blue object with a nubby texture. Below that is a white rectangularobject with a blue stripe across the top.
Many detergents contain chemicals that contribute to water pollution. Read the compare detergents action to see how you can make better choices.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour comic-style illustration of a hand placing a small white sheet into the drum of a washing machine, while liquid detergent pours into the detergent compartment.
The washing machine is white, and front loading. The door is open and a hand with pale skin is placing a small white rectangular sheet on top of the clothes inside. On the top left of the machine, the detergent compartment is open, and purple liquid pours into it from an orange container above. There is a single sock on top of the machine, and pale greenish blue bubbles in the air around it.
Putting your clothes in the dryer releases microfibres. It also makes your clothes wear out faster.Air dryingreduces water pollution and keeps your clothes looking new!
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustrationof laundrypinned to a clothesline,on a balcony.
A clothesline stretches across the image, sagging a little. Orange, pink, yellow and red clothes are pinned all the way across. Below the line is the grey railing of a balcony with window boxes. Behind the line is a purple building with a sliding glass door and a window.
Buying clothing of any kind is not great for the environment. So try to wear the clothes you already have, as much as you can. If you need to get new clothes,clothing swapsand thrifting are great ways to reduce your impact on the environment.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustrationof three people around a table, with a pile of clothes each.
Three people are gathered around a table, smiling and gesturing to each other. Each person has pile of folded clothes in front of them. The person on the left has pale skin and short blond hair. They are wearing a sleevelessblack dress.The person in the centre has dark brown skin and curly black hair. They are wearing a red and black striped t-shirt. The person on the right has brown skin. They are wearing a pink headscarf and a pale blue top.
Washing machines are a big source of home water use and pollution. You can wash your clothes by hand, wash them in cold water and wash them less often. All of these steps help to reduce your impact on water. Check out the wash smarter action for more suggestions.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of hands washing clothing in a sink.
Hands with brown skin reach into the frame from the right. They are holding red fabric under water in a sink. A silver metal tap is visible at the edge of the sink on the left.
Use a microplastic filter in your washing machine. You can buy different filters like theCoraball, or theGuppyFriend. You can also usethis actionto design and make your own filter.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustration of hands holding clothing in a transparent bag, in front of a washing machine, with other microplastic filters in the foreground.
Hands with light brown skin hold a transparent bag with a drawstring. Pink fabric is visible inside. The open door of a washing machine is visible in the background. Next to the bag is a round blue object with a nubby texture. Below that is a white rectangularobject with a blue stripe across the top.
Many detergents contain chemicals that contribute to water pollution. Read the compare detergents action to see how you can make better choices.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour comic-style illustration of a hand placing a small white sheet into the drum of a washing machine, while liquid detergent pours into the detergent compartment.
The washing machine is white, and front loading. The door is open and a hand with pale skin is placing a small white rectangular sheet on top of the clothes inside. On the top left of the machine, the detergent compartment is open, and purple liquid pours into it from an orange container above. There is a single sock on top of the machine, and pale greenish blue bubbles in the air around it.
Putting your clothes in the dryer releases microfibres. It also makes your clothes wear out faster.Air dryingreduces water pollution and keeps your clothes looking new!
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustrationof laundrypinned to a clothesline,on a balcony.
A clothesline stretches across the image, sagging a little. Orange, pink, yellow and red clothes are pinned all the way across. Below the line is the grey railing of a balcony with window boxes. Behind the line is a purple building with a sliding glass door and a window.
Buying clothing of any kind is not great for the environment. So try to wear the clothes you already have, as much as you can. If you need to get new clothes,clothing swapsand thrifting are great ways to reduce your impact on the environment.
Image - Text version
Shown is a colour illustrationof three people around a table, with a pile of clothes each.
Three people are gathered around a table, smiling and gesturing to each other. Each person has pile of folded clothes in front of them. The person on the left has pale skin and short blond hair. They are wearing a sleevelessblack dress.The person in the centre has dark brown skin and curly black hair. They are wearing a red and black striped t-shirt. The person on the right has brown skin. They are wearing a pink headscarf and a pale blue top.
Now that you have learned about how the clothing industry uses and pollutes the water, what will you do to take action?
Check out ourActions pageto get inspired to make a change!
Image Source: Jonathan Larson, Unsplash
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Image Source: A_Different_Perspective, Pixabay
Article/Backgrounder
More than ever, our clothes are made of plastic. Just washing them can pollute the oceans.
Article, 2019
Canadian Water Network (March 2018).Canada's Challenges and Opportunities to Address Contaminants in Wastewater.
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2009).Formaldehyde. Australian Government.
Dhanabalan, V., Sukanya and K. V. Lokesh (Oct 14, 2015).Air-Dyeing Technology - A Review.Textile Today.
DW Planet A (Apr 2, 2021). India: How our clothes cause water pollution [Video]. YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaHmxZhea3M
Ellam, S. (Oct. 10, 2019).Laundry Releases Trillions of Plastic Microfibers Into the Ocean.OceanWise.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (April 11, 2014).Wastewater Pollution.
Kant, R. (2012).Textile dyeing industry an environmental hazard.Natural Science4(1), DOI: 10.4236/ns.2012.41004
McFall-Johnsen, M. (Oct 21, 2019).The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Here are the biggest ways it impacts the planet. Business Insider.
My Textile Notes (Dec 3, 2012).Chemicals used in Textile Processing.
Nanayakkara, L. (July 23, 2019).Eutrophication: Why you should care about pond scum?Let's Talk Science.
Regan, H. (Sept 28, 2020).Asian rivers are turning black And our colorful closets are to blame. CNN Style.
Schroecker, J. (May 8, 2018).Why We Need To Get Rid Of Azo Dyes. Trusted Clothes.
Scott, M. (Sept 19, 2020).Out Of Fashion - The Hidden Cost Of Clothing Is A Water Pollution Crisis. Forbes.
Uddin, S. M. I. (August 2018).Impact of Textile Wastewater Pollution on the Environment. Pakistan Textile Journal.
United Nations Environment Programme (n.d.).Why is Eutrophication Such a Serious Pollution Problem?Lakes and Reservoirs3.
United Nations Environment Programme (Nov 12, 2018).Putting the brakes on fast fashion.
University of Washington (Aug 1, 2018).Harmful dyes in lakes, rivers can become colorless with new, sponge-like material.ScienceDaily.
References
Canadian Water Network (March 2018).Canada's Challenges and Opportunities to Address Contaminants in Wastewater.
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2009).Formaldehyde. Australian Government.
Dhanabalan, V., Sukanya and K. V. Lokesh (Oct 14, 2015).Air-Dyeing Technology - A Review.Textile Today.
DW Planet A (Apr 2, 2021). India: How our clothes cause water pollution [Video]. YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaHmxZhea3M
Ellam, S. (Oct. 10, 2019).Laundry Releases Trillions of Plastic Microfibers Into the Ocean.OceanWise.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (April 11, 2014).Wastewater Pollution.
Kant, R. (2012).Textile dyeing industry an environmental hazard.Natural Science4(1), DOI: 10.4236/ns.2012.41004
McFall-Johnsen, M. (Oct 21, 2019).The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Here are the biggest ways it impacts the planet. Business Insider.
My Textile Notes (Dec 3, 2012).Chemicals used in Textile Processing.
Nanayakkara, L. (July 23, 2019).Eutrophication: Why you should care about pond scum?Let's Talk Science.
Regan, H. (Sept 28, 2020).Asian rivers are turning black And our colorful closets are to blame. CNN Style.
Schroecker, J. (May 8, 2018).Why We Need To Get Rid Of Azo Dyes. Trusted Clothes.
Scott, M. (Sept 19, 2020).Out Of Fashion - The Hidden Cost Of Clothing Is A Water Pollution Crisis. Forbes.
Uddin, S. M. I. (August 2018).Impact of Textile Wastewater Pollution on the Environment. Pakistan Textile Journal.
United Nations Environment Programme (n.d.).Why is Eutrophication Such a Serious Pollution Problem?Lakes and Reservoirs3.
United Nations Environment Programme (Nov 12, 2018).Putting the brakes on fast fashion.
University of Washington (Aug 1, 2018).Harmful dyes in lakes, rivers can become colorless with new, sponge-like material.ScienceDaily.
