Fashion’s Packaging Pollution Problem

New apparel ships from the factory individually wrapped in plastic bags, totalling 150 billion single-use ‘polybags’ annually. Most of this packaging is not accepted by recycling plants-it is estimated that less than 1% of thin film plastic is ever recycled. Many bags escape into the environment en route to landfill, where they can last hundreds of years.

Today, plastic film comprises 5 million metric tons of ocean leakage, a whopping 46% of all ocean plastic waste.

Dubbed fashion’s plastic straw, an estimated 8 billion plastic hangers are produced and sold each year to apparel brands.  Only 15% of these hangers are recycled, most end up in landfills after a single use.

Recycled plastic can be used to make effective and even delightful new durable textiles and garments. In the case of short-lived and difficult to recycle polybags however, we maintain that bag materials should be non-toxic and fully degradable in the environment.

Developing Better Solutions

The consumer is aware of the plastic pollution problem–they are faced with it every time they open a package. When you commit to plant-based and compostable materials, your consumers will directly experience your brand’s commitment to reducing your impact on climate change and environmental pollution.

The simplest, most cost effective way to positively affect your brand image is by replacing plastic film packaging with compostable bioplastic film. Geosphere offers certified home compostable apparel bags and three layer commercially compostable shipping bags designed to reliably package and protect your product.

Switching to compostable packaging will affect your cost of goods by less than one-half of one percent.