Worldwide, the fashion industry produces billions of non-compostable garment poly bags each year. These transparent, disposable plastic wrappings protect individual pieces of clothing and accessories when shipped from manufacturers to warehouses and from retail stores to customers in eCommerce orders.
Despite greater general knowledge about the impact of single-use plastics on the environment, the disposable garment bag market, particularly in economies like China and India, continues to grow. Demand is driven by a surge in hyper-affordable online fashion stores and a post-COVID shift to eCommerce ordering so customers can avoid visiting retail settings.
Fast fashions are notorious for the short, seasonal lifestyle of their products. In the wasteful nature of our consumerist culture, garments are produced rapidly, with some online stores offering up to 10,000 new items on their site per day, all created cheaply and quickly to meet fleeting trends. The protective plastic garment bags that support this volume significantly contribute to our plant’s pollution problem, as almost 75 per cent of the plastic is thrown away after it arrives at its recipient.
Compostable Garment Bags are a win-win solution for environmentally motivated retailers and eco-conscious consumers. With innovation driven by consumer demand and government regulations, this plant-based packaging is now readily available, along with a variety of zero-waste alternatives to single-use plastic.
Plant-based and non-toxic, compostable fashion garment bags are created using corn starch resin. With an adhesive sealing strip on the back, they offer the same protection, durability and security for items during transit as traditional plastic poly bags. However, what sets them apart is that they can be disposed of with organic waste after use and composted back into the earth instead of being sent to rot in landfill.
For fashion companies, switching to a compostable garment bag reduces the carbon footprint amassed through their supply chain operations. Using eco-friendly packaging solutions can also be a strategic business move, as brands can improve their reputation, build consumer trust, and present a more sustainable brand persona for their eco-conscious customers.
It’s time for the fashion industry to redefine its relationship with plastic. As well as being the right thing to do for the planet, it aligns with growing consumer expectations for brands and businesses to embrace sustainable practices.
Readily available, reliable and highly functional, compostable garment bags mark a step towards a greener, cleaner future for the fashion industry and an opportunity they can’t afford to ignore.
