We need the Right to Repair our Clothes
Senator Rebecca Moynihan, Labour spokesperson on Climate, is urgently calling upon the government to enforce the right to repair clothing.
“It is high time Government steps in to enforce policies that empower consumers and hold corporations accountable for their role in environmental degradation.
“In the midst of Black Friday and the heightened consumption frenzy, we need Government to swiftly enact policies that enforce the right to repair clothes. This move not only seeks to mitigate the environmental impact caused by fast fashion but also empowers consumers to make sustainable choices while ensuring corporations are held accountable for their contribution to environmental degradation.
“We heard this week about Ireland’s distressing textile waste scenario, where a staggering 93% of used clothes and other textiles meet a fate of being dumped, incinerated, or exported, totaling a massive 170,000 tonnes annually. This alarming statistic equates to a staggering 35 kilograms of discarded textiles per person in the country each year.
“Amidst the frenzy of sales and overproduction driven by major fashion corporations like Shein, H&M, and Zara, it’s imperative that we shift the onus back onto these entities to repair clothing that wears within a year. We cannot allow their profit-driven motives to exacerbate Ireland’s textile waste crisis any further.
“Government must mandate the right to repair clothes, shifting the burden back to the fast fashion corporations responsible for the majority of this waste. It’s time to hold these entities accountable for their environmental impact and compel them to extend the lifespan of their products.”