Indian research body clarifies stance on asking staff to wear wrinkled clothes to work

Be that as it may, ironing your clothes does have an impact on the environment. Let’s find out what.

Impact of ironing on the environment

Vishal Kumar, chief executive officer, Waste Warriors Society, said, “Ironing clothes contributes to carbon dioxide emissions primarily due to the electricity used by the iron.”

Ironing five shirts a week for a year is equivalent to driving 7 miles in an average car, he explains, which suggests a modest but noteworthy impact on global CO2 emissions. 

Reducing the frequency of ironing and opting to iron while clothes are slightly damp can help reduce this carbon footprint. Choosing types of clothes, and materials that look smart even without ironing is another strategy to reduce the carbon emissions associated with ironing. 

Environmental benefits of initiating campaigns embracing wrinkles

Kumar remarks that initiatives embracing wrinkles can significantly contribute to reducing carbon emissions by promoting practices that require less energy consumption, such as skipping ironing. 

Support and use environmentally friendly laundry detergents and technologies. (Source: Freepik)

“Such initiatives not only reduce direct emissions from ironing but also encourage a broader awareness and change in consumer behaviour towards energy consumption. It goes beyond carbon and climate, to create a culture where we value people for who they really are instead of judging them superficially on the quality of clothes they wear,” he elaborates. 

NDTV had reported an unconventional dress code as a part of CSIR’s broader energy literacy campaign, according to Dr N Kalaiselvi, secretary of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the first woman director general of CSIR. It was apparently dubbed ‘WAH Mondays’ — short for ‘Wrinkles Acche Hai’ (wrinkles are good).

Strategies for reducing carbon footprint in clothing maintenance

In addition to wearing non-ironed clothes, Kumar says that there are other practical strategies individuals can adopt to reduce their carbon footprint in clothing maintenance and care. These are:

*Encourage air drying and cold wash cycles to reduce energy use.

*Opt for wearing clothes more than once before washing (sun-dry the clothes after wearing once to avoid removal of odour, if any) 

*Support and use environmentally friendly laundry detergents and technologies.

*Promote the donation of clothes instead of discarding them, to extend the life cycle of garments and reduce waste. Organise and actively participate in ‘kapda daan abhiyan‘ or ‘cloth donation drives‘ to extend the life of these precious materials.

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