A study reveals the exact quantities for each fabric, that’s how much water it takes to produce the clothes we wear every day.
Each dress we wear has a production cost . Among the factors that determined the price we must take water into account. 2,700 liters are needed to make a t-shirt. We know the quantities of water useful for drinking and for domestic use or for eating. But not what is needed to produce the clothes we wear every day.
The water footprint is the essential tool to tackle, in particular, drought and to measure the water needed to produce the garments we wear. The recent study by Johan Rockström, the one who devised “the nine planetary limits”. In practice, the determination of thresholds within which man can continue his economic activity on precious natural resources without the Earth being affected.
One of these precious resources is water . It is used in truly enormous quantities to produce simple garments. Probably the massive use of water is due to the tissue seeds being treated with excessive amounts of fertilizers and pesticides. Their use dries up the soil which thus needs more water.
However, there are some fibers to make clothes that need less water footprint. For example, organic cotton created without the use of herbicides or other chemicals. It is regenerated by a mechanical process that removes the scraps reweaving them without further need for water. Jeans need from 7 to 10 thousand liters. The fabric most in need of water is leather with 17,000 liters per kg of leather produced.
- How much water do we need to make our clothes? Now a study reveals the quantities for each fabric (ohga.it)