Is recycled plastic clothing a lie?

This week, we’re talking about plastic fashion. Your Instagram and TikTok feed are probably littered with feel-good ads for clothes and shoes made from recycled bottles. But they aren’t the solution you think.

Then, it’s a new world for brands doing business with China. America’s crackdown on forced labor is twisting supply chains putting brands in an uncomfortable position. How will fashion reorient itself?

And we’ll finish with a reality-TV breakup with fast fashion. Can ‘Love Island’ push pre-loved clothing into the zeitgeist?

Resources:

• Vogue Business: Recycled plastic swimsuits aren’t as green as you think
• NPR/Frontline investigation: How big oil misled the public on recycled plastic
• New York Times: Global brands seek clarity on Xinjiang
• BBC: H&M seems China sales plummet after Xinjiang boycott
• Vox: how your favorite jeans may be fueling a human rights crisis
• Reuters: 'Love Island' dumps fast fashion for second-hand eBay partnership

Hot Buttons is a production of Post Script Media. The show is hosted by Christina Binkley, Rachel Kibbe, and Shilla Kim-Parker. Follow the show on Twitter.

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