Why do your jeans wear out so quickly? - Madhavi Venkatesan

翻译人员: Mariam Khaled 校对人员: Helen Chang

The first pairs of jeans were designed for durability.

牛仔裤最初是为 耐用性而被设计出来的。

Named for the French city of Nîmes,

它以法国城市尼姆命名，

denim was constructed as a sturdy cotton weave worn by sailors.

牛仔布是水手服装采用的 一种结实的棉织品。

This rugged material got even stronger in the 19th century,

在19世纪，这种材料的 耐用性变得更佳，

when Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis added metal rivets to reinforce stress points.

列维·斯特劳斯和雅各布·戴维斯

在服装的应力点 添加了金属铆钉用以加固。

Their design introduced a new brand of durable trousers

他们为加州矿工设计出了 一种新的耐用长裤

for California miners that could withstand years of wear and tear.

这种长裤可以 经得起多年的磨损。

Over the course of the 20th century,

在20世纪，

these working-class pants have transformed into fashion icons.

这种本为工人设计的裤子 成为了一种时尚的标志。

But as the demand for jeans has gone up, their durability has gone down.

但随着人们需求的增加， 牛仔裤的耐用性也下降了。

Today, most pairs last no longer than a year.

现在的大多数牛仔裤 穿不过一年。

And each new pair you buy has a much higher cost than you might think.

并且每一条牛仔裤的代价 都出乎意料的高。

Every pair of jeans begins its life in a cotton field.

牛仔裤初始于棉田。

It takes about 0.7 kilograms of cotton to produce a single pair of pants.

生产一条牛仔裤大概 需要0.7公斤的棉花。

Growing this much cotton requires roughly 10,000 liters of water,

棉花的种植需要 大约 10,000 升水，

not to mention various herbicides and pesticides,

更不用说各种 除草剂和杀虫剂

which can contaminate groundwater.

对地下水的污染。

The cotton is harvested by hand or industrial machines

棉花通常通过机器 或手工收割，

and transported to textile factories where it’s spun into yarn.

然后运到纺织厂织成纱线。

At this point, it’s typically combined with plastic fibers like spandex

它通常会与氨纶等 塑料纤维结合

to increase the yarn’s elasticity.

来增加纱线的弹性。

These plastic threads make modern jeans more comfortable and flexible,

虽然这让牛仔裤变得 更加舒适、有弹性，

but also much less durable.

但也降低了布料的耐用性。

Next, the yarn is dyed jeans’ trademark blue.

接着，纱线会被染成 牛仔裤标志性的蓝色。

Historically, this color came from natural plant-derived indigo.

历史上，这种靛蓝 会从天然植物中提取。

But most modern manufacturers use a synthetic dye

但现在大多数制造商 会使用合成染料，

made from petroleum byproducts and toxic chemicals.

成分包括各种石油副产品 和有毒的化学品。

Once dyed, the cotton-plastic blend is woven into denim sheets,

染色后，布料会被 编织成牛仔布，

which are then cut and sewn into jeans.

裁剪、缝制后变成牛仔裤。

After assembly, some jeans undergo additional procedures

组装后，一些牛仔裤

会被做旧、磨损。

to get a distressed look.

This often includes chemical sprays and multiple cycles of acid-washing,

通常化学喷雾和酸洗等 过程的堆积物极其有害，

the toxic runoff can turn rivers indigo-blue.

连河流都能染成靛蓝色。

Finally, there are the zippers, buttons, and rivets

最后，拉链、纽扣和铆钉

made of copper and other metals,

由铜和其他金属制成。

whose mining is yet another source of environmental degradation.

它们的开采是 环境退化的另一个来源。

All in all, the manufacturing process for a single pair of jeans

一条牛仔裤的制造过程

emits over 33 kilograms of carbon—

能排放 33 公斤的碳——

the equivalent of driving over 110 kilometers.

相当于开车开了110 多公里。

But this process doesn't just damage the environment.

这过程不仅仅会破坏环境。

Much of the world’s cotton is grown in developing countries,

大部分棉花种植在

缺乏正当劳动法规的发展中国家。

with poor labor practices and few protections for workers.

Cotton here is often picked by children or forced labor,

这里的棉花通常由童工 或强制性劳役采摘，

and most jean manufacturing plants frequently expose workers

并且，工人们在生产过程中

to toxic chemicals throughout production.

经常接触有毒的化学品。

One particularly dangerous technique called sandblasting

其中包括喷砂，

involves spraying jeans with fine sand at high pressures

需要工人们在高压下 用细砂喷涂牛仔裤，

and has been linked with numerous cases of incurable and often fatal lung disease.

能导致许多无法治愈， 通常致命的肺部疾病。

Like many globally produced products,

像许多全球化的产品一样，

jeans are made in poor countries and bought in rich ones.

牛仔裤由穷国生产， 被富国购买。

All these pants will likely be washed dozens or even hundreds of times per year.

这些裤子每年要洗 几十次到几百次。

This energy intensive process breaks down the plastics woven into each pair,

洗衣的过程会分解 编制进牛仔裤的塑料，

releasing microplastics into the water

将其释放到水中，

and, perhaps most ironic of all, shortening the jean’s lifespan.

最讽刺的可能是 缩短了牛仔裤的使用寿命。

Like most waste, discarded jeans end up in landfills,

废弃的牛仔裤会被 丢到垃圾填埋场，

where their decomposition releases methane gas,

分解的过程中会 释放甲烷气体，

while their dyes and plastics leach into the soil and groundwater.

染料和塑料则渗入土壤， 污染地下水。

Some companies are working on solutions here,

一些公司已经在 寻找解决方案了，

from using organic cotton to recycling and reusing denim.

其中包括使用有机棉 或回收再利用牛仔布。

You can also help reduce the environmental impact of your favorite pants

你也可以来帮助保护环境，

by buying used jeans and buying fewer pairs altogether.

少买几条牛仔裤， 或买二手的。

Denim manufacturers also recommend only washing your jeans once every 10 wears.

牛仔布制造商也建议 穿满10次再洗。

And, when possible, air dry your pants to reduce energy consumption.

并且晾晒裤子 来减少能源消耗。

Life cycle and labor problems like these extend far beyond just jeans.

诸如此类的生命周期和劳动力问题 不仅仅是牛仔裤而已。

Some governments are pursuing policies to make companies more responsible

一些政府正在推行政策，

让企业对工人的 工资和福利负责，

for worker pay and welfare,

but unsustainable practices still run rampant throughout the fashion industry.

但这种做法 仍然在时尚界泛滥。

So when the price tags on your clothes seem like a steal,

所以当你觉得一件衣服的价格 太便宜时，

it’s important to consider who’s actually being robbed.

应该思考它真正代价是什么。