Over the past 15 years, clothing production has doubled while the length of time we actually wear these clothes has fallen by nearly 40%.

Today, thanks to synthetic mauve dye, fossil fuels are the basis for an infinite catalog of textile finishes, pesticides, detergents, pharmaceuticals, glues, plastics, faux leathers, synthetic fabrics, inks, and more. Who would have guessed that 150 years after Perkin peered at his purple fabric, chemistry’s core role in fashion would be almost

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