FASHION AND DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON
When you buy a piece of clothing, do you know where the materials that were used to make it, come from?
This is something that we at KEEPER Denim always talk about as it’s so important to do your research to make sure you are supporting brands that align with your values. A report was released by Stand.Earth which showed the link between some major fashion brands and deforestation in the Amazon rainforest due to the leather industry in Brazil.
HOW IS FASHION CONNECTED TO DEFORESTATION?
The culprit is leather and to understand how the leather industry is associated with deforestation, lets breakdown the basics. Firstly, leather comes from cows and to feed those cows you need to grow soy. In Brazil, large parts of the Amazon rainforest are cleared to make room to grow these soy crops. Brazilian leather is found in many fashion supply chains across the world as it is used to produce items such as clothing, handbags and shoes. Did you know that the cattle industry is one of the main causes of deforestation of tropical rainforests globally?
WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF DEFORESTATION?
Trees are an integral part of the earth’s ecosystem as they absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When trees are cut down or burnt, they release this stored carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere which is why deforestation contributes to climate change.
Another benefit trees provide, which you may not be aware of, is they reduce water pollution. They do this by using their roots to absorb polluted water runoff, preventing it from entering waterways such as rivers, streams or the ocean.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
- CHOOSE WHICH BRANDS YOU WANT TO SUPPORT
Make sure to research carefully before buying clothing from a brand. Take the time to investigate their supply chain and make sure their values align with yours.
- AVOID FAST FASHION
Fast fashion is defined as low-cost clothing, made in large quantities, at a rapid rate. Although they might try to tell you through their greenwashing campaigns that their clothes are sustainable, they are not, as this business model is unsustainable due to the huge amount of waste excess consumption creates.
- MAKE YOUR CLOTHES LAST
Check out our previous blog posts – how to make your clothes last part 1 and part 2 for some handy tips to prevent your old clothes ending up in landfill.
I hope you enjoyed this KEEPER Deni blog post on the connection between fashion and the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. The more we become aware of the effects our choices make, the better decisions we can make going forward.