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

譯者: 至磊Zi Le 黃Ng 審譯者: Yi-Ping Cho (Marssi)

The first pairs of jeans were designed for durability.

第一件牛仔褲是為了耐用而設計的。

Named for the French city of Nîmes,

名字源於法國城市尼姆的丹寧布

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

過去是用來製造水手穿的 牢固棉紡織品。

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

這個耐用的材質 在十九世紀又更強化了，

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

因為李維‧史特勞斯和雅各布‧戴維斯 在布上加了金屬鉚釘來穩固受力點。

Their design introduced a new brand of durable trousers

他們的設計為加州礦工帶來了 一種新穎耐用的長褲，

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

穿好幾年也不會破。

Over the course of the 20th century,

隨著二十世紀的進展，

these working-class pants have transformed into fashion icons.

這種勞動階級的長褲 變成了時尚的符號。

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

但牛仔褲需求上升的同時， 耐用度卻下降了。

Today, most pairs last no longer than a year.

如今，多數牛仔褲用不到一年。

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

而且每一件新牛仔褲的成本 比你想的高很多。

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

每一件牛仔褲的生命歷程 都從棉花田開始。

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

生產一件牛仔褲需要 大約 0.7 公斤的棉花。

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

要種出這麼多棉花 大概需要一萬公升的水，

not to mention various herbicides and pesticides,

此外還有可能汙染地下水的 各種除草劑和殺蟲劑。

which can contaminate groundwater.

The cotton is harvested by hand or industrial machines

棉花是以手工或機器收割，

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

再運到紡織工廠紡成紗。

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

這時通常會混入 氨綸之類的塑料纖維，

to increase the yarn’s elasticity.

以提升紗線的彈性。

These plastic threads make modern jeans more comfortable and flexible,

這些塑料線使現代的牛仔褲 更舒服而且有彈性，

but also much less durable.

但也比較不耐用。

Next, the yarn is dyed jeans’ trademark blue.

接下來，紗線要被染成 牛仔褲標誌性的藍色。

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

歷史上，這個顏色取自於 自然植物的靛藍色。

But most modern manufacturers use a synthetic dye

但多數現代製造商使用合成染料，

made from petroleum byproducts and toxic chemicals.

這是由石油副產品 和有毒化學物質所製造。

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

一染完色，棉花和塑膠的混合物 就會被織成丹寧布，

which are then cut and sewn into jeans.

接著裁剪並縫成牛仔褲。

After assembly, some jeans undergo additional procedures

縫製完畢後有些牛仔褲 會進行額外的處理，

to get a distressed look.

做成仿古的磨損樣貌。

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

這個流程時常包含噴灑化學物質 和很多輪次的酸洗，

the toxic runoff can turn rivers indigo-blue.

含有有毒物質的逕流 可以將河流轉為靛藍色。

Finally, there are the zippers, buttons, and rivets

最後，還有拉鏈、鈕扣、鉚釘，

made of copper and other metals,

這些都是用銅和其他金屬製成，

whose mining is yet another source of environmental degradation.

開採這些礦產又是 另一個環境退化的由來。

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

總之，一件牛仔褲的製造過程

emits over 33 kilograms of carbon—

會排放超過 33 公斤的碳，

the equivalent of driving over 110 kilometers.

相當於開車超過 110 公里。

But this process doesn't just damage the environment.

但這個過程不止於破壞環境。

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

世界上的棉花大多數 種植於開發中國家，

with poor labor practices and few protections for workers.

勞動行為不佳，對工人的保護很少。

Cotton here is often picked by children or forced labor,

這裡的棉花通常由孩童 或被強迫的勞工收成，

and most jean manufacturing plants frequently expose workers

而且多數牛仔褲生產工廠常常讓工人 在生產過程中暴露於有毒化學物質。

to toxic chemicals throughout production.

One particularly dangerous technique called sandblasting

有一種特別危險的技術稱為噴砂，

involves spraying jeans with fine sand at high pressures

以高壓對牛仔褲噴灑細小的砂粒，

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

這與無數容易致命的 肺部絕症案例有關聯。

Like many globally produced products,

就像許多全球化生產的產品，

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

牛仔褲在窮國製造，在富國販售。

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

每一件牛仔褲很可能 每年要洗幾十次甚至上百次。

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

這個能源密集的過程會分解 縫在每一條牛仔褲中的塑料，

releasing microplastics into the water

讓微塑料釋放到水中，

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

最諷刺的是它會縮減牛仔褲的壽命。

Like most waste, discarded jeans end up in landfills,

跟多數垃圾一樣，廢棄牛仔褲 最後到了垃圾掩埋場，

where their decomposition releases methane gas,

牛仔褲分解後會排放甲烷，

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

褲子的染劑和塑料 被沖入泥土和地下水中。

Some companies are working on solutions here,

有些公司在尋找解決問題的方法，

from using organic cotton to recycling and reusing denim.

像是使用有機棉花、 回收和重複利用丹寧布。

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

你也可以幫忙減少 你最愛的長褲對環境的影響，

by buying used jeans and buying fewer pairs altogether.

買二手牛仔褲，或是少買幾條牛仔褲。

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

丹寧布製造商也建議你 每穿十次才洗一次牛仔褲。

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

還有如果可以的話，風乾而不是烘乾 你的長褲以減少能源消耗。

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

這些生命週期和勞動的問題 遠遠大於一條牛仔褲。

Some governments are pursuing policies to make companies more responsible

有些政府正在推行政策，

讓企業對工人薪資和福利更加負責，

for worker pay and welfare,

but unsustainable practices still run rampant throughout the fashion industry.

但不永續的行徑 在時尚業仍然十分猖獗。

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

所以當你衣物的價格非常低廉時，

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

想想誰被剝削了是很重要的事。