Turning Old Clothes into New Soil: The Promise of Textile Composting
Have you ever wondered what happens to your old t-shirt after you toss it in the trash? Unfortunately, it’s likely headed for a landfill, where it’ll sit for years, unable to decompose properly. But what if there was a way to turn that shirt into rich, nutrient-dense soil instead? Enter the world of textile composting – a innovative solution that’s turning heads in the sustainable fashion world.
From Closet to Compost Heap
Textile composting isn’t all that different from your backyard compost pile. It’s all about breaking down organic materials into soil. The twist? Instead of just food scraps and yard waste, we’re adding clothes to the mix.
“Natural fiber textiles are compostable,” explains Ericka Leigh, a compost enthusiast and independent researcher. “Cotton, silk, wool, hemp, bamboo – if it came from a plant or an animal, it can be composted.”
But before you start tossing your whole wardrobe onto the compost heap, there’s a catch. Synthetic materials like polyester and nylon are a no-go. Even natural fiber garments often have synthetic elements like polyester thread or elastic that won’t break down.
The Breakdown
So how long does it take for your favorite cotton tee to become soil? It varies. Leigh’s experiments show that different materials decompose at different rates:
- A fur coat might break down in just two months
- Cotton typically takes 4-6 months
- Silk can take up to 9 months
- Denim? Be prepared to wait 9-10 months
The Secret Sauce: Balancing Act
Just like traditional composting, textile composting requires a balance of ‘green’ and ‘brown’ materials. Clothes act as the ‘brown’ or carbon-rich material, while food scraps provide the ‘green’ nitrogen-rich component. Together, they create the perfect environment for decomposition.
Why Bother?
You might be wondering – why go through all this trouble? The benefits are more significant than you might think:
- Landfill Reduction: With a staggering 85% of clothes ending up in landfills or incinerators, textile composting offers a sustainable alternative.
- Soil Enrichment: The resulting compost is packed with nutrients, perfect for restoring depleted soils.
- Climate Impact: By keeping organic materials out of landfills, we’re reducing harmful methane emissions.
- Circular Economy: It’s a step towards closing the loop in the fashion industry, turning waste into a valuable resource.
Challenges on the Horizon
While textile composting shows promise, it’s not without hurdles. The prevalence of synthetic fibers in modern clothing is a major obstacle. There’s also the question of how clothing dyes might affect soil quality – an area that needs more research.
But perhaps the biggest challenge is infrastructure. As Leigh points out, “The onus is all on the customer, the end user, to do the right thing… but the infrastructure is not in place for us to do it.”
A Vision for the Future
Leigh envisions a future where textile composting isn’t just a hobby for eco-enthusiasts, but a municipal service. Imagine a world where your city collects not just food scraps, but old clothes too, turning them into valuable compost for local farms and gardens.
“We need statewide or county-run municipal composting facilities,” Leigh suggests. “This creates jobs in the green economy, creates an end product that you can use and sell… it’s a revenue stream, it pays for itself.”
What Can You Do?
While we wait for large-scale solutions, there are steps you can take:
- Prioritize natural fibers when buying clothes
- Extend the life of your garments through proper care and repair
- If you have outdoor space, try using old cotton clothes as a weed barrier in your garden
- Reach out to local community gardens – they might be interested in experimenting with textile composting
Textile composting may not be the most glamorous solution to fashion’s waste problem, but it could be one of the most impactful.
It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful solutions are the ones that get their hands dirty – quite literally, in this case. So the next time you’re about to throw away an old cotton shirt, remember: it could have a future as soil, nurturing new life and closing the loop in the grand cycle of sustainability.
🌿👚 For more information on Ericka Leigh's work:
Rosebud Continuum – https://www.rosebudcontinuum.net
Personal website, Sewn Apart – https://www.sewnapart.com
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickaleighmct/
Substack newsletter – https://substack.com/@sewnapart?utm_source=profile-page
