Indian research body urges staff to wear wrinkled clothes to work; but why?

In a pioneering move aimed at combating climate change, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has initiated a unique campaign, encouraging its staff to wear wrinkled attire every Monday, according to a report by NDTV. 

Dubbed ‘WAH Mondays’ — short for ‘Wrinkles Acche Hai’ (wrinkles are good) — this unconventional dress code is 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. 

Impact of ironing on the environment

Kalaiselvi tells NDTV, “CSIR decided to contribute by wearing non-ironed clothes on Mondays. Ironing each set of clothes amounts to emission of 200 g of carbon dioxide. So, by wearing non-ironed clothes, one can prevent emission of carbon dioxide to the tune of 200 g.”

Vishal Kumar, chief executive officer, Waste Warriors Society, agrees with her, “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 ‘wrinkles acche hain’ campaign

Kumar remarks that initiatives like the ‘Wrinkles Acche Hain‘ campaign 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. 

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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