TEXTILE WASTE IS AN INCREASING PROBLEM
As Americans, we love our clothes. As sports fans, we love representing our favorite teams, colleges, and events by buying fan apparel, and wearing and showing them off. But what happens when we’re done with them? Where do they go? The truth is, most of the time they end up in the trash. And that’s a huge problem.
Did you know that Americans throw out an average of 100 pounds of clothing per person each year? The volume of clothing Americans throw away has doubled in the last 20 years, from 7 million to 14 million tons. This has never been sustainable, and now it’s having a major impact on our environment.
When we throw away clothes, they don’t just disappear. Textiles can take up to 200+ years to decompose in landfills, and in the meantime, they release harmful chemicals into the environment. And it’s not just the waste that’s the problem. The production of textiles is incredibly resource-intensive. According to the World Resources Institute, it takes 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt.
FAN APPAREL NEEDS CIRCULAR CHAMPIONS
At FANWAGN, we’re committed to creating more circular pathways for apparel reuse before it gets into textile recycling or waste. We believe that the solution to the textile waste problem starts with small steps, like finding a new home for a beloved team hat or sweatshirt with another fan who loves your team, too. But we also believe that we can make a bigger impact by working with partners across professional and collegiate sports properties.
We’re looking for partners who share our love for the game(s) AND want to be part of the commitment towards circular solutions for fan apparel. We want to work with sports leagues, teams, athletes, manufacturers, and supporters who are willing to take an innovative approach to apparel, fandom, and re-commerce. And we’re particularly interested in partnering with under-represented sports and athletes because we hold an inclusive belief that fandom is for every BODY.
We know we can’t solve the textile waste problem alone. But by working together, we can create better options that give each beloved piece of fanwear a future, helping both our planet and wallets. Join us in our mission to make a difference, one piece of clothing at a time. One less fanwear item in a landfill is a huge win in our books.