Matilda Lee, a fashion writer for The Independent, writes:

Behind its glossy veneer, the truth is that the business of fashion and clothing, from production, to consumption, care and disposal, is among the world’s most environmentally damaging. Ninety per cent of our clothes are imported, and it’s not just the children labouring in sweatshop conditions we may not see – it’s the 2 million tons of waste, 3.1 million tons of CO2 and 70 million tons of waste water that the industry produces in a single year.

Lee takes a visit from Phil Patterson, a sustainably-minded wardrobe consultant who examines her clothes buying, washing, drying, and ironing habits.  Patterson offers these tips:

How to detox your clothing

* Line dry instead of tumble dry to drastically reduce clothing environmental impact

* Wash at low temperatures using environmentally friendly detergent and iron only where necessary – ironing uses large amounts of energy

* Make do and mend. Prolong the lifespan of a garment by finding a local tailor or buying a sewing kit to fix rips and lost buttons. Dry cleaners often offer low-cost repairs

* Never chuck clothes in the bin. Gift them to charity, pass them on or turn them into cleaning rags

* See new clothes as an investment. Pay more for higher quality clothes that will last season after season

via sarazucker