Globally, it’s estimated that around 92 million tons of textile waste—the equivalent of a garbage truck full of clothing—end up in landfills every second. And if that weren’t enough, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a leading sustainability nonprofit, 87% of the material in clothing ends up incinerated or in a landfill after its final use; the rest tends to be used in things like rags, insulation materials, and mattress stuffing. Only 1% of the material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing. Even though many people and cities have embraced the zero-waste ethic through actions like composting and strict recycling practices, living a zero-waste life can be harder than you think. Many products, including clothing, are made from different materials that can’t be recycled through basic municipal recycling systems.

Understanding the complexities of recycling leads us to the conclusion that, while we should definitely continue to do so, it is also important that we all take responsibility for solving the root problem and reducing waste generation. It is important to understand that recycling is not the absolute solution and that reducing our consumption rates is key (consumers now buy 60% more clothing than they used to and keep it for half the time they did fifty years ago, according to a McKinsey study). Additionally, companies must begin designing products that are meant to last much longer, rather than products designed to be used once and thrown away. Finally, consumers must continue to question where all the goods and services they consume come from and make better, environmentally and socially conscious decisions when making a purchase.