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演讲者：Madhavi Venkatesan
演讲题目: The life cycle of a pair of jeans
The first pairs of jeans were designed for durability. Named for the French city of Nîmes, denim was constructed as a sturdy cotton weave worn by sailors. This rugged material got even stronger in the 19th century, when Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis added metal rivets to reinforce stress points. Their design introduced a new brand of durable trousers for California miners that could withstand years of wear and tear. Over the course of the 20th century, these working-class pants have transformed into fashion icons. But as the demand for jeans has gone up, their durability has gone down. Today, most pairs last no longer than a year. And each new pair you buy has a much higher cost than you might think.
世界上第一件牛仔裤是为了耐用而设计的。名字源于法国城市尼姆的丹宁布过去是用来制造水手穿的牢固棉纺织品。这个耐用的材质在十九世纪又更强化了，因为李维‧斯特劳斯和雅各布‧戴维斯在布上加了金属铆钉来稳固受力点。他们的设计为加州矿工带来了一种新颖耐用的长裤，穿好几年也不会破。随着二十世纪的进展，这种劳动阶级的长裤变成了时尚的符号。但牛仔裤需求上升的同时，耐用度却下降了。如今，多数牛仔裤用不到一年。而且每一件新牛仔裤的成本比你想的高很多。
Every pair of jeans begins its life in a cotton field. It takes about 0.7 kilograms of cotton to produce a single pair of pants. Growing this much cotton requires roughly 10,000 liters of water, not to mention various herbicides and pesticides, which can contaminate groundwater. The cotton is harvested by hand or industrial machines and transported to textile factories where it’s spun into yarn. At this point, it’s typically combined with plastic fibers like spandex to increase the yarn’s elasticity. These plastic threads make modern jeans more comfortable and flexible, but also much less durable.
每一件牛仔裤的生命历程都从棉花田开始。生产一件牛仔裤需要大约0.7公斤的棉花。要种出这么多棉花大概需要一万公升的水，此外还有可能污染地下水的各种除草剂和杀虫剂。棉花是以手工或机器收割，再运到纺织工厂纺成纱。这时通常会混入氨纶之类的塑料纤维，以提升纱线的弹性。这些塑料线使现代的牛仔裤更舒服而且有弹性，但也比较不耐用。
Next, the yarn is dyed jeans’ trademark blue. Historically, this color came from natural plant-derived indigo. But most modern manufacturers use a synthetic dye made from petroleum byproducts and toxic chemicals. Once dyed, the cotton-plastic blend is woven into denim sheets, which are then cut and sewn into jeans. After assembly, some jeans undergo additional procedures to get a distressed look. This often includes chemical sprays and multiple cycles of acid-washing, the toxic runoff can turn rivers indigo-blue. Finally, there are the zippers, buttons, and rivets made of copper and other metals, whose mining is yet another source of environmental degradation. All in all, the manufacturing process for a single pair of jeans emits over 33 kilograms of carbon— the equivalent of driving over 110 kilometers.
接下来，纱线要被染成牛仔裤标志性的蓝色。历史上，这个颜色取自于自然植物的靛蓝色。但多数现代制造商使用合成染料，这是由石油副产品和有毒化学物质所制造。一染完色，棉花和塑料的混合物就会被织成丹宁布，接着裁剪并缝成牛仔裤。缝制完毕后有些牛仔裤会进行额外的处理，做成仿古的磨损样貌。这个流程时常包含喷洒化学物质和很多轮次的酸洗，含有有毒物质的径流可以将河流转为靛蓝色。最后，还有拉链、钮扣、铆钉，这些都是用铜和其他金属制成，开采这些矿产又是另一个环境退化的由来。总之，一件牛仔裤的制造过程会排放超过33公斤的碳，相当于开车超过110公里。
But this process doesn't just damage the environment. Much of the world’s cotton is grown in developing countries, with poor labor practices and few protections for workers. Cotton here is often picked by children or forced labor, and most jean manufacturing plants frequently expose workers to toxic chemicals throughout production. One particularly dangerous technique called sandblasting involves spraying jeans with fine sand at high pressures and has been linked with numerous cases of incurable and often fatal lung disease.
但这个过程不止于破坏环境。世界上的棉花大多数种植于发展中国家，劳动行为不佳，对工人的保护很少。这里的棉花通常由孩童或被强迫的劳工收成，而且多数牛仔裤生产工厂常常让工人在生产过程中暴露于有毒化学物质。有一种特别危险的技术称为喷砂，以高压对牛仔裤喷洒细小的砂粒，这与无数容易致命的肺部绝症案例有关联。
Like many globally produced products, jeans are made in poor countries and bought in rich ones. All these pants will likely be washed dozens or even hundreds of times per year. This energy intensive process breaks down the plastics woven into each pair, releasing microplastics into the water and, perhaps most ironic of all, shortening the jean’s lifespan. Like most waste, discarded jeans end up in landfills, where their decomposition releases methane gas, while their dyes and plastics leach into the soil and groundwater.
就像许多全球化生产的产品，牛仔裤在穷国制造，在富国贩售。每一件牛仔裤很可能每年要洗几十次甚至上百次。这个能源密集的过程会分解缝在每一条牛仔裤中的塑料，让微塑料释放到水中，最讽刺的是它会缩减牛仔裤的寿命。跟多数垃圾一样，废弃牛仔裤最后到了垃圾掩埋场，牛仔裤分解后会排放甲烷，裤子的染剂和塑料被冲入泥土和地下水中。
Some companies are working on solutions here, from using organic cotton to recycling and reusing denim. You can also help reduce the environmental impact of your favorite pants by buying used jeans and buying fewer pairs altogether. Denim manufacturers also recommend only washing your jeans once every 10 wears. And, when possible, air dry your pants to reduce energy consumption.
有些公司在寻找解决问题的方法，像是使用有机棉花、回收和重复利用丹宁布。你也可以帮忙减少你最爱的长裤对环境的影响，买二手牛仔裤，或是少买几条牛仔裤。丹宁布制造商也建议你每穿十次才洗一次牛仔裤。还有如果可以的话，风干而不是烘干你的长裤以减少能源消耗。
Life cycle and labor problems like these extend far beyond just jeans. Some governments are pursuing policies to make companies more responsible for worker pay and welfare, but unsustainable practices still run rampant throughout the fashion industry.
这些生命周期和劳动的问题远远大于一条牛仔裤。有些政府正在推行政策，让企业对工人薪资和福利更加负责，但不永续的行径在时尚业仍然十分猖獗。所以当你衣物的价格非常低廉时，想想谁被剥削了是很重要的事。
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