Water in the wardrobe….

Four girls who are studying Media and Communication will, during Week 13 collect clothing in a charity skip in Stortorget.

7000 litres of water to make a t-shirt

When  Emma Stjärnstedt, Elina Turpainen, Denise von Allen and Sara Sjö,  (absent when the photograph was taken), students of Media and  Communication, became aware that 7000 litres of water are needed to make  one single t-shirt, and that we throw away 8 kilos of textiles a year  they got an idea.

Water in the wardrobe

To  make use of the clothes we no longer want, but that are as good as new,  we got the idea of putting a container for textiles in every bin store.

“The  idea emerged in connection with a course in project management; Sara  told us that a lot of clothes were thrown away in the bin store where  she lives. We started to reflect on why the clothes weren’t recycled  instead,” the girls said.

“When we realised, via  the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, that in order to make one  single cotton t-shirt 7000 litres of water are required,” says Denise “I  wonder how much water we have in the wardrobe?” And there was our  slogan “Water in the wardrobe”

They contacted  Gävlegårdarna who will now put out containers for textile recycling in  the newly built recycling room in Andersberg. The non-profit association  Gränslöst provides the containers and empties them.

“We hope that recycling rooms like this will become an obvious alternative”

Molly

“Molly symbolises us, she is the one who had a t-shirt that was no good so she threw it away.

Then she realised that it takes 7000 litres of water and so she changed her behaviour.”

“We made a film with Molly that visualises our idea and her image also decorates our container.”

Click to enlarge Molly.

Text: Douglas Öhrbom
Photo: Ove Wall