The problem of apparel waste has become, with over 10.5 million tons dumped in landfills in North America every year. There are many statistics quoted on the matter, but leave it to say that the vast majority of what we get rid of ends up in landfills, some say as high as 80%.
As a result of many factors, we are consuming more clothing than at any time in human history, over 100 billion garments annually. Compared to 15 years ago, consumers buy three times more garments every year and keep them half as long. The environmental impacts of this are major, but not beyond our control. Studies show that just by keeping our clothes an extra nine months, we can reduce our carbon, water and waste footprint between 20% and 30%.
Marie-Chantal shares her story from losing her job during her maternity leave to finding her fit at Gildan. Here is her story:
Q: Tell us about a challenge you overcame during your career?
Shortly after I began my maternity leave with my second child, the company I was working for at the time restructured and I lost my job. It was hard for me to process the information when I got the phone call as I was in full-time mommy mode - taking care of a new born and completely absorbed by his wellbeing.
Gildan caught up with Lourdes Caballero, Senior Manager of Product Performance to hear about her career journey. From witnessing the company’s sudden growth to adapting to a larger team, Lourdes shares some of her cherished moments at Gildan.
Q: Tell us about your job:
I’m currently responsible for managing the development of new products.
I started 9 years ago as a product coordinator, already having 11 years of experience in the apparel industry; I was able to transfer a lot of that knowledge to my new position.
In honor of International Women’s Day, Gildan is launching a new blog series entitled “Hear Her Story” which will allow readers to meet women behind the scenes of Gildan’s success and get a glimpse of their #LifeatGildan.
Building a sustainable wardrobe may seem daunting, but it’s easier than you think. Being a conscious consumer starts in your own closet. It requires thinking differently about what we have, what we buy and how we wear them. Being conscious about our buying choices means taking a moment to think about what clothing we buy and what we do with the clothes we already own.
Gildan becomes member of the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance
Press Release
February 13, 2019 /3BL Media/ Gildan has joined Ethisphere’s Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA); a global community of companies who recognize the value of ethical leadership and who are working together to move forward with ethics and integrity.
As a global company, Gildan recognizes that one of its greatest strengths comes from the collective diversity of its organization. The Company is focused on supporting a culture that encourages the contributions of everyone and is invested in the development of its employees and communities, further enabling them to recognize and reach their full potential.
Katherine Soucie talks about her explorations with pre-consumer apparel waste
Article
In October 2017, Gildan partnered with Katherine Soucie of Sans Soucie, zero-waste textile design studio to give its hosiery waste new life through transformation into textiles, fashion and art. On the one-year anniversary of this partnership, Soucie talks about her research, her design and her curiosity with new inputs.
Q: How did you become passionate about recycled textiles?
