📋 Tender Overview
Synthetic fibers are on the rise; hardly any textile is free of them. Recycled polyester is not yet a sustainable solution - single-use bottles are mostly used as raw materials, and old textiles are rarely used. The majority of textiles end up in the trash after only a short time or even unworn, because textile recycling is still in its infancy and collection and processing lag far behind consumption. Long-term use is the only sustainable solution. Tips for eco-friendly fashion are available from DIE UMWELTBERATUNG (The Environmental Advisory Service) at www.umweltberatung.at/textilien. Those who buy fast fashion often accept plastic waste - because cheap fashion uses cheap raw materials. "Even if many textiles bear an environmental label such as a recycling symbol, the textile industry is far from being ecological. And we simply buy too much!" explains Michaela Knieli, textile expert at DIE UMWELTBERATUNG. Using textiles ecologically means: buying only a few textiles, but of good quality; buying as few synthetic fiber textiles as possible; using all textiles for as long as possible, caring for them well, and taking advantage of secondhand options - for example, flea markets and swap meets. Our textile consumption is still a significant source of microplastics. Clothing made of synthetic materials, as well as carpets, curtains, bedding, and other polyester textiles, release microplastics during use and washing, which enter the indoor air and wastewater. Microplastics enter our bodies and can have harmful effects on our health. Many garments are hardly worn or not worn at all and are disposed of prematurely. This consumption is further fueled by the high rate of returns in online retail. Depending on the retailer, the return rate averages between 26 and 50% (from: Online Fashion Retail: Returns Remain a Major Problem - BTE German Textile Retail Association 2023). Returned items are not automatically resold; up to 24% end up unworn in the trash. Anyone who thinks that high clothing consumption isn't so bad because a lot is recycled is mistaken. Currently, the majority of textiles are thermally recycled, meaning they are incinerated. Clothing from all over the world is also stored, for example, in the Chilean Atacama Desert. Only a small portion of textiles is recycled into new clothing. Textile recycling is very complex, as collection, transport, sorting, and processing consume a great deal of energy. The main sources of recycled polyester are not textiles, but PET bottles. This isn't actually recycling, but downcycling: a high-quality PET material is transformed into a lower-quality material. From an ecological perspective, it makes more sense to recycle the high-quality material back into bottles. Even better is to simply clean the bottles and reuse them in a reusable system. Synthetic fibers are frequently used in the production of sportswear. PFAS, the so-called "permanent chemicals," are also used in the waterproofing of outdoor clothing. PFAS are problematic from an ecological and health perspective because they are not biodegradable. Natural fibers, as an alternative, also offer good performance in outdoor wear. The sheeps natural functional shirt also has a pleasantly insulating and warming effect for humans. And unlike a polyester sweater, a wool sweater doesnt smell of sweat, explains Michaela Knieli, textile expert at DIE UMWELTBERATUNG (The Environmental Advisory Service). Sources for eco-fashion and further information and links on the topic of fashion can be found at www.umweltberatung.at/textilien. As part of Orange Week, DIE UMWELTBERATUNG will be offering tips on clothing care at the 48er-Tandler Margareten (a second-hand shop in Vienna) - so that clothes last longer: Making Clothes Last Longer - Tuesday, November 25, 2025, from 4 to 7 p.m. Care and Repair of Textiles - Thursday, November 27, 2025, from 3 to 6 p.m. Both events will take place at the 48er-Tandler, Siebenbrunnenfeldgasse 3, 1050 Vienna. The City of Vienna - Environmental Protection provides information on sustainable textile purchasing on its website: www.wien.gv.at/umwelt/oekokauf-ergebnisse#textilien. Individual advice is available from DIE UMWELTBERATUNG (The Environmental Advisory Service) via their hotline 01 803 32 32. DIE UMWELTBERATUNG is an institution of the Vienna Adult Education Centers, primarily funded by the City of Vienna - Environmental Protection.
