Elizabeth Reichart and –
Garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photo by Tareq Salahuddin/Wikimedia Commons
Think about how many sweaters, scarves and other clothes were given as gifts this holiday season. How many times will people wear them before throwing them out?
Probably far fewer than you think. One garbage truck of clothes is burned or sent to landfills every second! The average consumer bought 60 percent more clothes in 2014 than in 2000, but kept each garment for half as long.