Synthetic materials and “fast fashion” pollute our oceans and fill our landfills with plastic clothing. The majority of fashion is consumed in the United States with 90% of the world’s clothing being produced in low and middle-income countries. Fast fashion has also been linked to the exploitation of workers and unfair labor practices.

 

Consumers of fast fashion often only wear a garment once before discarding it, creating a waste problem in the United States and developing countries. Synthetic fibers are used in about 72% of garments and are responsible for up to 35% of plastic pollution in our oceans. These synthetic materials also take hundreds of years to biodegrade. We must shed light on these issues and the fact that the number of garments produced annually has doubled since 2000 and now exceeds 100 billion.

 

North America has been a hub for the production of locally sourced sustainable and natural materials for hundreds of years. Natural materials are produced on farms and ranches and some natural fibers are harvested as part of healthy wildlife management. Leather, fur, and wool can last for decades and are often passed down from generation to generation. Locally sourced, sustainable clothing items have become cultural status symbols. Sustainable and natural fibers are ethical, renewable, and made from unparalleled quality and durability.

 

We, the undersigned, support the use of sustainable, natural fibers (wool, leather, fur) in all clothing, accessories, and other goods by 2035 to help save our planet.