THE HIDDEN PLASTICS IN OUR CLOTHES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
There is a lot of plastic hidden in our clothes. Sometimes it’s in plain sight, like a pair of pleather
trousers that squeak with every step. Sometimes it’s disguised, like the elastic inside the waistband
of your otherwise organic cotton shorts. Often it is invisible, like the microplastics shed by synthetic
materials; while you may never see them, they have been found at the bottom of the ocean and in
human blood, placenta and baby poo.
Despite our awareness of the perils of plastic, fashion’s dependence on it persists. A recent report
by the sustainability not-for-profit Fibershed says that, between 1980 and 2014, production of
polyester increased by nearly 900%.
Two common plastics, polyester and nylon, account for 69% of all the materials used in clothing
globally and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2030, according to Georgia Rae-Taylor,
the sustainability strategy director for environmental consultancy Eco-age.
So why do we continue to use plastics? Synthetic materials are cheap and making them isn’t
dependent on seasons or farms affected by rainfall or heatwaves, as is the case with cotton and
wool. Without them, fast fashion and mass-produced luxury – as well as the incredible waste they
generate – would almost certainly not exist.
“Material sourcing of our clothing matters,” says Heather Podoll, who works at Fibershed. “Our
plastic-based textile economy has led to unsustainable overproduction of clothing that is unhealthy
for our communities and our ecosystems.” We should do our best to minimise the harm.
A1. Answer the following questions using your own words but taking into account the
information in the text. (2 points: 1 point each)
a. Can we always be sure that there is no plastic in our clothes?
b. Why are plastics employed so often if we know that the environment is damaged?
a. Can we always be sure that there is no plastic in our clothes?
→ No, we can’t. Plastic can be hidden in parts of our clothes, and sometimes it is invisible, like microplastics.
b. Why are plastics employed so often if we know that the environment is damaged?
→ Because they are cheap and not affected by seasonal conditions, which makes them perfect for fast fashion production.
THE HIDDEN PLASTICS IN OUR CLOTHES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
There is a lot of plastic hidden in our clothes. Sometimes it’s in plain sight, like a pair of pleather
trousers that squeak with every step. Sometimes it’s disguised, like the elastic inside the waistband
of your otherwise organic cotton shorts. Often it is invisible, like the microplastics shed by synthetic
materials; while you may never see them, they have been found at the bottom of the ocean and in
human blood, placenta and baby poo.
Despite our awareness of the perils of plastic, fashion’s dependence on it persists. A recent report
by the sustainability not-for-profit Fibershed says that, between 1980 and 2014, production of
polyester increased by nearly 900%.
Two common plastics, polyester and nylon, account for 69% of all the materials used in clothing
globally and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2030, according to Georgia Rae-Taylor,
the sustainability strategy director for environmental consultancy Eco-age.
So why do we continue to use plastics? Synthetic materials are cheap and making them isn’t
dependent on seasons or farms affected by rainfall or heatwaves, as is the case with cotton and
wool. Without them, fast fashion and mass-produced luxury – as well as the incredible waste they
generate – would almost certainly not exist.
“Material sourcing of our clothing matters,” says Heather Podoll, who works at Fibershed. “Our
plastic-based textile economy has led to unsustainable overproduction of clothing that is unhealthy
for our communities and our ecosystems.” We should do our best to minimise the harm.
A2. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Identify the part of the text that
supports your answer by copying the exact passage on the answer sheet. (1.5 points: 0.5 each)
a. Even sustainable and organic clothing contains plastics.
b. A recent report shows that we may find 900% polyester in clothes.
c. Almost 70% of all materials used in clothing are plastics.
A2. True or False + Evidence from the text (1.5 points)
a. Even sustainable and organic clothing contains plastics.
True
Evidence: “Sometimes it’s disguised, like the elastic inside the waistband of your otherwise organic cotton shorts.”
b. A recent report shows that we may find 900% polyester in clothes.
False
Evidence: “Between 1980 and 2014, production of polyester increased by nearly 900%.”
c. Almost 70% of all materials used in clothing are plastics.
True
Evidence: “Two common plastics, polyester and nylon, account for 69% of all the materials used in clothing globally…”
THE HIDDEN PLASTICS IN OUR CLOTHES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
There is a lot of plastic hidden in our clothes. Sometimes it’s in plain sight, like a pair of pleather
trousers that squeak with every step. Sometimes it’s disguised, like the elastic inside the waistband
of your otherwise organic cotton shorts. Often it is invisible, like the microplastics shed by synthetic
materials; while you may never see them, they have been found at the bottom of the ocean and in
human blood, placenta and baby poo.
Despite our awareness of the perils of plastic, fashion’s dependence on it persists. A recent report
by the sustainability not-for-profit Fibershed says that, between 1980 and 2014, production of
polyester increased by nearly 900%.
Two common plastics, polyester and nylon, account for 69% of all the materials used in clothing
globally and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2030, according to Georgia Rae-Taylor,
the sustainability strategy director for environmental consultancy Eco-age.
So why do we continue to use plastics? Synthetic materials are cheap and making them isn’t
dependent on seasons or farms affected by rainfall or heatwaves, as is the case with cotton and
wool. Without them, fast fashion and mass-produced luxury – as well as the incredible waste they
generate – would almost certainly not exist.
“Material sourcing of our clothing matters,” says Heather Podoll, who works at Fibershed. “Our
plastic-based textile economy has led to unsustainable overproduction of clothing that is unhealthy
for our communities and our ecosystems.” We should do our best to minimise the harm.
A3. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options. All words are
underlined in the text (1 point: 0.25 each)
strategy luxury waste generate sourcing harm
a. damage
b. plan
c. litter
d. cause
solcuión
a. damage → harm
b. plan → strategy
c. litter → waste
d. cause → generate
THE HIDDEN PLASTICS IN OUR CLOTHES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
There is a lot of plastic hidden in our clothes. Sometimes it’s in plain sight, like a pair of pleather
trousers that squeak with every step. Sometimes it’s disguised, like the elastic inside the waistband
of your otherwise organic cotton shorts. Often it is invisible, like the microplastics shed by synthetic
materials; while you may never see them, they have been found at the bottom of the ocean and in
human blood, placenta and baby poo.
Despite our awareness of the perils of plastic, fashion’s dependence on it persists. A recent report
by the sustainability not-for-profit Fibershed says that, between 1980 and 2014, production of
polyester increased by nearly 900%.
Two common plastics, polyester and nylon, account for 69% of all the materials used in clothing
globally and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2030, according to Georgia Rae-Taylor,
the sustainability strategy director for environmental consultancy Eco-age.
So why do we continue to use plastics? Synthetic materials are cheap and making them isn’t
dependent on seasons or farms affected by rainfall or heatwaves, as is the case with cotton and
wool. Without them, fast fashion and mass-produced luxury – as well as the incredible waste they
generate – would almost certainly not exist.
“Material sourcing of our clothing matters,” says Heather Podoll, who works at Fibershed. “Our
plastic-based textile economy has led to unsustainable overproduction of clothing that is unhealthy
for our communities and our ecosystems.” We should do our best to minimise the harm.
A4. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct. (1.5 points: 0.5 each)
1. Fashion industry depends on…
a) plastic.
b) microplastics.
c) organic polyester.
2. Polyester and nylon presence in clothes will…
a) increase before 2030.
b) rise after 2030.
c) drop in 2030.
3. The plastic-based textile industry is…
a) in danger in our communities.
b) not sustainable for our illnesses.
c) a danger for our ecosystems.
Soluciones
1. Fashion industry depends on…
a) plastic
2. Polyester and nylon presence in clothes will…
a) increase before 2030
3. The plastic-based textile industry is…
c) a danger for our ecosystems