Garment Life Cycle: Production and Impact in 5 Steps

How many places has your garment been through before it reaches your home? Made in Bangladesh, says the label. And although it may be where it was sewn, the manufacturing and its sustainability start much earlier, even after you buy it.

In this article we will explain the 5 processes that a garment goes through and that are decisive for its social and environmental impact. From the raw material to the end of its useful life:

1. Fiber production:

The first step towards the creation of a garment is the extraction of the raw material and its respective source of resources. source of resources. Fibres are the basic raw materials of all textile production, and there are 3 types:

The natural fibres which are of plant origin (such as cotton, linen and hemp), for the creation of vegan garments or there are also natural fibres of animal origin (such as leather, wool and silk), and the synthetic fibres (such as polyester and elastane) which are mostly derived from petroleum. Finally, there are man-made fibres (such as Lyocell or viscose, which are obtained through a chemical transformation process).

In this process, it is very important to deal with treatment of crops or animals crops or animals is very important in this process, where often in the conventional industry a multitude of insecticides and pesticides are applied (in the case of cotton), and practices such as mulesing are carried out mulesing on sheep. The type of chemical processing to which the man-made fibres are subjected is also very important.

2.Garment production:

Once the raw material is obtained, the second process consists of 4 steps that will determine the impact of this phase:

Spinning and weaving: The process of converting fibers into yarns to later make them into fabrics.

Dyeing: Is the process of dyeing and improving the characteristics of yarns and fabrics through physical and chemical processes. Crops and dyes are the second largest pollutant of clean water worldwide.

Tailoring: This is the manufacture of garments and other textile products from pieces of fabric are cut into specific shapes and joined together is the process of sewing. Most garment making is done in Southeast Asia under deplorable working conditions: low wages, insecurity, union repression… although there are more and more sustainable brands making clothes locally in Spain. handcrafted Take a look at the brands’ websites and find out where they markings Real Sustainable Fashion and discover where the garments are made!

Finishes: The process where the garment is cleaned, pressed and the final preparations are made, such as screen printing, buttons, pockets and labelling. Although it is not usually taken into account, for some garments this is the stage of production with the greatest environmental impact: this is the case of jeans. Although nowadays there are processes to be able to produce sustainable trousers.

3. Transport and store:

Once the garment is finished, it is packaged and a transport company transport company (which can be air, sea or land, each with their respective emissions) sends it to the store’s warehouses or to the store itself. Once there, the garment will be ready to be sold, either in store or online wrapped in a packaging (more or less sustainable depending on the material used and the process it has gone through).

4. Use:

When the garment has been purchased, there are two important factors to consider in the life cycle of a garment: maintenance (washing, drying, ironing, mending and care) that will make the garment last longer if it is well cared for; and usethe use that is made of the garment. If a garment is used a lot, the impact it has on the environment is less.

5. End of life of the product:

Finally, the life cycle of a garment ends when it is no longer in use. This point is of major importance in order to change the current model of fashion production and consumption. Normally there is a linear process, where garments are produced, used and thrown away (ending up in landfills or incinerated). It is possible to extend their useful life through second-hand clothes or by creating new garments through the Upcycling (here are some examples of upcycling brands).

It is now important to introduce a circular process driven by the recyclability of the garments (which depends mainly on the fabric and the mix of them). Thus, going back to the beginning of the life cycle that we have explained, the garment at the end of its useful life can become the raw material for the manufacture of a new garment.

Would you like to learn more about the life cycle of your garments and the impact of fashion? 

At COSH! we analyse the production chain of fashion brands, from their suppliers and where the raw materials come from, to their manufacture and sale, in order to bring you closer to consumers truly ethical and sustainable brands. 

All brands that exceed the verification Real Sustainable Fashion are truly sustainable companies, which ensure a sustainable Decent work behind all their garments and that have a positive impact on the planet.