The Very Green Problem With Blended Fabrics

Purchasing some new threads? Then check the label for this sustainability marker: 100%. That's what the Washington Post advises in a rundown of how consumers can help keep fabrics from clogging up landfills. They argue that we can make a difference by eschewing blended fabrics, made from multiple materials that make them near impossible to recycle, and opting for those made from only one material.

• From closet to landfill: Only about 12% of textile waste is recycled, the Hill reports, and synthetic or blended fabrics are rarely among clothing that becomes something new. Instead, recycling facilities are focusing on clothing that's easier to manage, while the rest gets dumped.

• Double waste: The problem isn't just clothing becoming waste. Karen Leonas, a professor of textiles science, tells the Post that when these fabrics don't have a second life, all the resources that went into producing them also go to waste.
• Look for 100%: The main takeaway: if you're purchasing a new item for your closet, buy one that's made completely from one fabric over a blend of fabrics. Opt for natural materials first, like linen, cotton, or wool—and when buying synthetic materials, like a shirt made from polyester, go for 100% polyester rather than blends (in the chance it can be repurposed).
• Shifting demand: One clothing purchase may not move the needle, but by creating less demand for blended materials, the industry can be pushed to change. "The consumer really drives the product that goes out there," Leonas says.
  (A newfangled form of plastic recycling is called a 'delusion.')