Sustainability
Global CO2 emissions
(in tons)
of CO2 emissions are emitted by the fashion industry
tons of annual clothing waste in Europe
of clothing is discarded in Austria
are recylced into new clothing
liters of water used by the textile industry/year
of CO2 emissions could be saved yearly if every second clothing was second-hand
could be saved in water yearly if every second clothing was second-hand
clothing waste could be saved yearly if every second clothing was second-hand
The dark side of fashion:
How fast fashion burdens our planet
The fashion industry is responsible for 1.2 to 1.7 billion tons of CO₂ emissions per year; this accounts for 10% of global emissions. For comparison, this is more than international air travel and cruise ships combined or the total emissions of the UK, France, and Germany together. The fast fashion trend continues to drive this further.
Europeans consume an average of 26 kg of textiles per person per year, and the worst part is that an item of clothing is worn an average of only four times before being discarded. 20% of our clothing is never worn.
Globally, 80 billion new garments are purchased each year. Once discarded, more than half of the clothing is not reused but ends up in mixed municipal waste. The conventional fashion industry is responsible for massive consumption of energy, water, and other natural resources, making it anything but sustainable.
The consumption of fast fashion goes hand in hand with significant amounts of pollution, unfair wages, the use of hazardous chemicals, textile waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the release of microplastics.
and resulted in a CO₂ footprint of approximately...
270 kg
Sustainability with a catch:
the ecological challenges of cotton production
Cotton is a sustainable raw material because it can be recycled and is more environmentally friendly compared to polyester fabrics. however, it is important to use it responsibly, as one thing is essential for cotton cultivation: water
Cotton is a thirsty raw material: to produce 1 kg of cotton, approximately 170 bathtubs full of water are needed.
Cotton cultivation plays an important economic role in many countries but is also associated with significant ecological and social challenges. The plant requires a lot of water during the germination and growth phases but cannot receive rain during the budding phase, which is why it is primarily grown in arid regions with artificial irrigation. Cotton production accounts for 3% of global water consumption. A dramatic example of the consequences of cotton production is the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan: its inflows were used for the irrigation of cotton fields, leading to the once fourth-largest inland lake in the world—comparable in size to Bavaria—today being 90% dried up. What remains is the youngest salt desert in the world, which has deprived the people living there of their livelihood.
As large as the problem is, so too are the factors we need for a solution. The reusability of materials (due to a lack of technology for separating fibers and recycling), the use of sustainable materials (environmentally harmful polyester is currently the most important fiber type), reduction of textile waste by decreasing consumption, reduction of resource consumption, increase in resource productivity, increase in the circularity rate, and prolongation of the lifespan of clothing.
Following the EU waste framework directive, we view waste management as an inverted pyramid, where waste avoidance is at the top. our measures aim to:
By promoting second-hand clothing and extending the lifespan of products, we reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
The reuse of clothing and other items not only reduces the demand for new products but also minimizes the environmental impact of manufacturing.
We encourage the reuse and recycling of materials to minimize the use of new resources and close the loop.
Leverage agile frameworks to provide a robust synopsis for high level overviews. Iterative approaches.
Our Contribution, Our Offer, Our Impact
Our goal is to raise awareness about sustainability in the fashion industry, help parents make more sustainable choices, and revolutionize the handling of short-lived children's items. we want to make it as easy as possible for parents to purchase secondhand items by creating a simple, efficient, and trustworthy platform.
Choosing second-hand over new items is not only economically smart but also environmentally friendly. By giving used items a new life, we reduce waste and minimize the ecological footprint associated with the production of new goods.
Through our platform, we promote waste avoidance by facilitating the resale and purchase of used baby clothing and accessories. By extending the lifespan of these items, we help keep them out of landfills and promote a circular economy.
Every resold sweater, dress and pair of jeans reduces the need for new fibers, dyeing processes and transport routes - all energy-intensive steps with high CO₂ emissions. By extending the lifespan of garments, Neworn reduces the environmental impact while promoting sustainable consumption.
Our sustainability efforts extend beyond our business practices and also include community engagement and education. Through partnerships, events, and our community, we strive to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable consumption and empower our community to make environmentally conscious decisions.
We are committed to continuously improving and innovating our sustainability practices. by keeping ourselves informed about the latest developments in eco-friendly technologies and best practices, we ensure that our company remains at the forefront of environmental protection.
Neworn offers the opportunity to extend the lifespan of clothing by giving baby and children's clothing a new life. Many products are often worn hardly or not at all and yet disposed of. In Austria, only 17% of clothing is currently recycled, with 83% ending up in the trash. Through secondhand, we reduce waste and lower the ecological footprint associated with the production of new goods. We are committed to measuring and reducing the carbon emissions associated with our activities. By optimizing our logistics and implementing eco-friendly practices, we aim to minimize our CO₂ footprint and contribute to mitigating climate change.
The Environmental Benefits of Secondhand: More Than You Think
Approximately 100 billion garments are produced worldwide each year—trending upwards. Secondhand reduces the ecological footprint; currently, only 17% of clothing is recycled, while 83% ends up in the trash. on average, a person requires 20 kg of clothing per year. Only 1% of these textiles can be recycled.
A t-shirt, for example, causes 11 kg of CO₂ emissions. This is approximately 50 times the weight of the t-shirt itself. 69% of these emissions come from the manufacturing process, while 31% occur during the usage phase, which includes activities like washing. This translates to 7.59 kg of emissions during the production phase and 3.41 kg in the usage phase. If we assume a person buys a new t-shirt every month, they would generate 11 kg of CO₂ emissions each month. However, if they were to buy every second t-shirt secondhand, they could save 35% of CO₂ emissions over the entire year.
Only 1% of all materials used in clothing can be repurposed for the production of new clothing; this is partly due to the lack of technologies for sorting collected clothing and separating blended fibers. Annually, approximately 265,000 tons of textiles are in circulation in Austria. 83%, or 220,000 tons, constitute clothing waste each year. If we assume that every second product is offered as secondhand, clothing waste could be reduced to 132,500 tons, representing a savings of 40%
Overall, 1,670 liters of freshwater are needed for the entire lifecycle of a t-shirt, which in this example is washed and dried 44 times. The largest share is attributed to the production of raw materials, such as cotton, which requires 1,370 liters (the water consumption for cotton is significantly higher, but all materials are represented), making up 82 percent of the total water usage.
For the production of the t-shirt itself, 55 liters of water (3 percent) are used. The washing process requires 221 liters (13 percent) and drying 17 liters (1 percent), assuming the dryer is used only every tenth time. The water consumption for energy generation for washing and drying, such as cooling power plants, is also taken into account. Returning to the same example: if every second purchase is secondhand, based on buying one t-shirt per month, the production process consumes 1,425 liters and the usage phase 238 liters. Through buying secondhand, 1,187 liters of water could be saved every other month, amounting to 8,592 liters annually, which is approximately 43% or equivalent to 57 bathtubs.
