China is the world’s largest textile producer and consumer, throwing away 26 million tons of clothes each year, mostly made of unrecyclable synthetics. A recycling factory in Zhejiang province on China’s east coast that repurposes discarded cotton clothes is trying to deal with the urgent waste problem. So, too, are young innovative designers in Shanghai, by remaking old garments into new ones or clothing out of other waste items, such as plastic bottles, fishing nets, flour sacks and even pineapple leaves. But these efforts are dwarfed by giant fast-fashion brands churning out cheap synthetic garments for a global consumer base. Experts believe real change is only possible through an elusive zero-waste workflow or Chinese government intervention.
