Plastics are essential to building durable, high-performance clothing. But they’re also accelerating the climate crisis, from the fossil fuels used to make materials like polyester to the plastic pollution that piles up once that clothing has been tossed.
Through the eyes of a lawyer (Maxine Bédat, ED of New Standard Institute), a climate reporter (Kendra Pierre-Louis) and Patagonia designer and product responsibility manager (Pasha Whitmire and Karba), The Monster In Our Closet – a new film from Patagonia Films - uncovers the dangerous threads that connect the clothing industry to the oil and gas industry and what we can all do on the individual, business and government levels to create the change that our planet needs.
The film looks at the New York Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (A8352/S7428), the first US law to require large fashion companies to map, disclose and make progress on social and environmental targets. While the bill did not make it out of committee in this legislative session, Patagonia has been working with the coalition behind the bill – led by Maxine Bédat – and will continue do so with a goal of not only endorsing it but helping to see it through to final passage.
To create meaningful change, we need action from individuals, businesses and government:
Individuals can buy less and demand more.
Brands play can role in helping to shift the industry to invest in secondary waste streams, eliminate virgin petroleum sources from products.
We need the government to step in with legislation and broader regulation, like decreased tariffs for recycled and organic materials, documenting and disclosing supply chains (where clothes are made and who is making them), and incentives for companies who adopt materials from organic or recycled inputs.
We definitely don’t just need corporate marketing campaigns – we need transparency, accountability and action.
See here to view the film and to learn more about how Patagonia is rethinking plastics in products and the company’s goal to eliminate virgin petroleum from its supply chain.
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