Reducing textile waste: Hindbag's commitment
The textile industry is one of the most polluting in the world, particularly with the rise of fast fashion. Every year, billions of garments are produced, consumed, and then discarded, contributing to massive overproduction and unprecedented pollution. This industry gobbles up precious resources like water and energy, generates enormous amounts of waste, and pollutes waterways with toxic substances. However, alternatives exist to reduce this ecological footprint and make fashion more responsible.
An alarming observation: polluting and inefficient textile production
One of the most polluting sectors
To begin with, here are some alarming figures: 2,700 liters of water are needed to make a simple T-shirt, the equivalent of 70 showers or what we drink in 2.5 years (djossye.com).
What requires so much water?
- Cotton cultivation
- Preparation of natural fibers
- Dyeing fabrics
- Industrial washing
In addition to draining water resources, textile production generates water pollution (according to ADEME), particularly due to the chemicals used in growing fibers and dyeing fabrics. In many producing countries, water is poorly or not treated at all before being released into waterways.
According to the European Parliament, textiles were the third largest source of water degradation and land use in 2020. That year, it took an average of nine cubic meters of water, 400 square meters of land, and 391 kg of raw materials to supply clothing and footwear to every EU citizen.
Textiles wasted before they are even worn
Beyond the environmental damage caused by textile production, much of this clothing isn't even used. 73% of textile fibers are discarded, incinerated, or landfilled, while less than 1% are reused to make new clothing (djossye.com, Ellen MacArthur Foundation).
The giants of the sector, who are also the main polluters, prefer to throw away rather than reuse their unsold goods (djossye.com).
Why? Because storage is expensive, and some brands refuse to sell off their products in order to maintain a "premium image." Rather than bear the cost of storage or promote more responsible fashion, they prefer to destroy their inventory.
But attitudes are changing. It's time to put aside the premium image and prioritize sustainable practices. New materials are being developed from the food industry, such as fibers extracted from citrus peels or coffee grounds (techniques-ingenieur.fr). These innovations prove that another path is possible.
Hindbag: towards more circular production
The GOTS label: organic and eco-responsible cotton
To address the environmental challenges associated with cotton cultivation, we have chosen to use GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified cotton.
This label guarantees organic cotton cultivation, free from pesticides and chemical fertilizers, thus reducing the impact on soil and water. In addition, it imposes strict standards on energy and water consumption, contributing to more sustainable production. Choosing GOTS-certified materials is another step towards responsible and environmentally friendly fashion.
Transforming our scraps into practical accessories
There are also sustainable solutions to this overproduction and massive waste. At Hindbag, we rethink our production from the ground up, optimizing the use of our fabric rolls as much as possible. Each pattern is strategically positioned to minimize waste.
Despite this, some scraps still remain. Rather than wasting them, we chose to transform them into practical and aesthetic accessories:
- Scrunchies : made from scraps of our blockprint linings, each model is unique.
- Cords for our Bill phone pouches and Eliot backpacks : sewn with cotton scraps.
- Côme key ring : a practical mini banana, allowing you to slip in a lip balm or find your keys more easily, which is very popular! The perfect little extra to complete a gift.
Recycling the unusable: our next challenge
Despite our optimization efforts, some fabric scraps still remain unused. Aware of this problem, we launched a call for collaboration with a Delhi university located near our workshops. Together, we studied various solutions and identified a machine model capable of recycling these mini scraps, thus avoiding waste.
This is where our Ulule campaign comes in: reaching 600% funding would allow us to invest in this machine and give new life to these textile wastes!
Two axes of transformation are envisaged:
- Create a protective foam for our computer cases and phone pouches. A solution that would provide effective protection while reusing our own materials instead of importing additional components.
- Produce our own recycled paper for our product labels, thus reducing our dependence on external resources and further closing the recycling loop.
This project represents a concrete step towards a zero-waste model, where each material is designed to be reused rather than thrown away.
Repair and reuse: a more responsible fashion
Offer accessible but sustainable products
Fast fashion encourages fleeting consumption, but at Hindbag, we want to offer sustainable alternatives.
Our bags and accessories are designed to last. Rather than throwing them away at the slightest snag, we encourage repairs to extend their lifecycle. Our ambition is clear: to make responsible fashion accessible to all, without compromising on quality.
Upcycle instead of throwing away
A broken zipper, a loose seam... These small defects shouldn't condemn a product to be thrown away.
Today, we already work with a workshop dedicated to minor pre-sale repairs, correcting imperfect finishes such as poorly positioned labels or fragile seams. But we're looking further ahead: we want to create a genuine repair service so that every customer can give their product a second life.
And when an item with a one-year warranty is returned to us, it doesn't end up in the trash. We give it a new lease on life by upgrading it and selling it at a reduced price during our two annual sales (summer and winter) and in our last-chance collection .
Every action counts when it comes to limiting waste and preserving our planet. Together, let's make a difference!
