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In a captivating scene from Netflix’s “Buy Now!”, an astonishing sight unfolds - piles of discarded clothing, adorned with labels from renowned mainstream brands, litter the beaches of Ghana. With a population of 30 million, this country grapples with the burden of 15 million pieces of clothing waste every week. In the United States, a recent estimate suggests that retail returns, including those from Amazon, contribute a staggering 5 billion to landfill waste. Plastic waste has emerged as a global crisis, with an equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic being dumped into our oceans, rivers, and lakes daily. Before succumbing to the allure of that one-click shop button or rushing for the latest deal, let us explore three effective ways to avoid plastics while shopping for fashion and beauty during this holiday season and beyond.

Navigating the Plastic Peril in Fashion and Beauty Shopping

1) Decoding the Fabric Tags and Labels

Think you've stumbled upon the perfect holiday gift? Well, before you get too excited, take a moment to check the fabric tag or label. Steer clear of fossil fuel-based synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, and acrylic. These synthetics not only have significant greenhouse gas emissions but also pose toxicity risks and are incredibly difficult to biodegrade. As noted by Marci Zaroff, an eco expert and the founder of Ecofashion, a platform dedicated to sustainable brands such as the contemporary sustainable YesAnd, the organic home textile brand Farm to Home, and the business-to-business sustainable clothing and home decor manufacturing platform MetaWear. "These materials contribute to excessive landfill waste, microplastic pollution, and harm both people and the planet," Zaroff emphasized. Experts agree that many materials have a negative impact, and there are no hard and fast rules without exceptions. Daniel Lewis, the co-founder of SocialStudiesShop.com along with Jessica Gangoso, highlights that from their perspective, the worst offenders include materials produced by fast fashion companies under unfair labor practices, using 'virgin' synthetic fibers or exotic animal skins and furs.

2) Opting for Natural Fibers over Synthetics

When shopping for fashion items, look for those made from natural, biodegradable, and responsibly produced materials. Certified organic/recycled cotton, organic bamboo, linen, wool, cashmere, leather, and silk are excellent choices. While shopping, keep an eye out for terms and labels that guarantee more sustainable production methods. These include Plastic-Free Certified, OEKO-TEX Made in Green, which ensures non-toxic production, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) that prohibits blending with synthetic fibers unless recycled and strictly regulated, BlueSign, which guarantees strict adherence to standards, and Fashion Positive Cradle to Cradle, which focuses on material health, safety, and circularity. Gangoso suggests that consumers should look for the best-in-class materials in areas that matter most to them, such as how raw materials make their way from the farm to the garment for animal by-products. Additionally, there are new biomaterials emerging that are replacing animal-skin leather with alternatives made from cactus, apples, olives, and bamboo by-products. However, Zaroff cautions that some food-based leathers might be blended with toxic synthetic binders or plastic resins, emphasizing the importance of reading labels once again. Shopping secondhand or recycling clothes through thrifting, vintage, renting, reuse, and repair does help divert waste from landfills and reduce overproduction, extending the lifecycle of garments. But it doesn't completely eliminate issues like microfiber shedding, which occurs when tiny pieces of plastic break off from synthetic clothing during washing and end up in the waterways.

3) Unraveling the Plastic Numbers in Beauty Shopping

If you want to avoid plastic when shopping for beauty products, it all begins with understanding plastic numbers. Read the ingredients and packaging carefully and avoid plastics that cannot be recycled, such as those with #3 (PVC), #6 (PS), and #7 (other plastics and mixed plastics). Priscilla Tsai, the CEO and founder of Cocokind, advises that other plastics in the #7 category include single-use items or packaged goods with excessive wrapping or materials used for decoration rather than functional needs. Instead, look for products with the most commonly recycled plastics, identified by #1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE). "These help contribute to post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials that reuse plastics instead of ending up in landfills," Tsai said. Other sustainable materials include bio-resin materials that utilize plant waste, aluminum, or glass. Tsai acknowledges that it is nearly impossible to completely avoid plastics when shopping for beauty in traditional retail settings due to the fact that plastic plays a crucial role in packaging, ranging from general packaging to secondary packaging and usage mechanisms like how a makeup stick winds up and down. At present, there is no universally accepted label, seal, or term that guarantees a product is plastic-free. That's why Cocokind takes the approach of providing as much transparency as possible about the sustainability facts of their products to customers, enabling them to make informed decisions.