The Transformation of Old Clothes Into The New Ones In Prato

The fashion industry has various disastrous effects on the environment. What a pity it is the second largest polluter industry in the world. Also it produces 10% of all carbon emissions, pollutes our waters with microplastics.

Prato,a town in Italy, has built its fortune on transforming old scraps into new clothes, particularly knitwear and wool.

This useful transformation starts with the donations of the used clothing to charities. Then organizations sell the second hand clothes to appropriate authorized carriers and used earnings on social activities.

The recycling companies initially classify clothes according to the colors and material type  then all clothes are torned apart. Now they are ready to wash  and other recyling processes.  Sofia Bettiza gives more details how recyling phases happened in her video. 

Second hand clothes that can be returned to the various European, African, Asian and Pakistani markets are separated from used clothing destined for recycling and so enter the economy of the recycled textile market for secondary raw materials.

Video :https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-55267992

Could Prato represent a model for sustainable fashion?

Reporter: Sofia Bettiza

Filmed by: Paolo Patruno

Pic: https://www.gemarefigli.it