Icebreaker’s campaign to raise awareness of the impact that textiles and clothing have on the environment
With all the talk of the detrimental effects over our environment from plastic waste in our food and water, it can come as no surprise by now that plastic also forms most of our clothing too, in one form or another. Therefore with all that is being discovered about the potential and actual harm to creatures (including us) from microplastics, a natural question arises: Are you still wearing plastic?
This is the very question posed by Icebreaker, a company producing natural performance wear, based in New Zealand, highlighted on the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) website. The question of what we wear forms part of Icebreaker’s campaign to help raise awareness that clothing is one of the largest causes of plastic pollution in the environment. Icebreaker may use humour in their adverts to convey their message, but they are serious about what they are doing. Icebreaker refers to a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which revealed that 35% of primary microplastic particles polluting the oceans, are from textiles and synthetic clothes.
With 91% of Icebreaker’s fibre consumption currently being Merino or plant based and with no acrylics involved, the company has set a goal to be plastic free by 2023. Quite a challenge and an admirable one too, which they seem confident about succeeding in meeting.