recycling

RECYCLED CLOTHING AND OTHER PRODUCTS

For several years the idea of recycling garments has grown steadily in the outdoor industry with the idea of saving the earth. That is just a ploy in my opinion to get people to replace last year’s garments.

Over the years that I have been a part of the outdoor industry I have noted that companies like Patagonia have pioneered the need to recycle to show the world they are making a concerted effort to have as small a carbon foot print as possible. In their wake we have seen The North Face, Adidas, Nike, Columbia Sportswear etc. join in.

They promote the recycling of polyester, cotton, nylon and even down and why?

They feel guilty about producing so much poor quality products to begin with they are trying to make amends. The products they get made for them in Asia are made from some of the least costly materials they can buy, and from what I have seen the construction of these products is equally as poor as the materials used. The result is product that does not last very long.

Just today I read that Patagonia is selling recycled cashmere sweaters. I have worn cashmere sweaters for years and they last for years, so when did the cashmere quality start to deteriorate so quickly (?) when Patagonia started to use very poor quality cashmere in my opinion.

If these companies were to concentrate on making good quality products from the beginning versus planned obsolescence quality there would not be a need to recycle, but they do not make good quality to begin with, and since they know that, planned obsolescence you know, is how they think.

This means that the customer has to replace the old with the new, and in order to induce the consumer to buy a new product they say we will recycle the old one for you. What a deal!

Years ago producers took pride in what they were making, and that has gone out the door with the trash. I remember a guy who used my bags in the south east that told me I had a problem with my sleeping bags. I asked what that problem was; “he said they are too good and as such people wouldn’t buy but one”. My response was; if they are what you say then the people who buy them will become my best advertisers”. Which by the way happened! Also, these buyers have over the years out fitted their families with them, so much from the southeast guy.

All of these companies belong to organizations that attest to the small carbon footprint. How about if you made products that actually lasted for several years, wouldn’t that mean you have a small carbon footprint? If they did that they would have to get rid of the bulk of their designers and so called engineers.

As bad as things are at this time with respect to the poor quality product coming from these companies it WILL get worse. Why worse, because their sales aren’t as strong as they would like and as such they will try to develop new (?) products for less cost. This is a vicious cycle that ends with the consumer getting the short end of the stick. That is par for the course.