The report titled ‘The Circularity Gap Report Textiles’, calls for urgent measures to mitigate the environmental footprint of the textile industry through the adoption of circular economy practices, including reuse, recycling, and a shift towards slow fashion.
Released by Circle Economy, an organisation focused on impact, the report uncovers startling statistics: a mere 0.3% of the 3.25 billion tonnes of materials utilised by the textile sector annually are derived from recycled inputs, while synthetic fibres sourced from fossil fuels constitute 70% of its raw materials.
However, the report suggests that if the industry prioritises renewable and recycled fibres, enhances product longevity, localises supply chains, and scales back production and consumption levels, it could significantly progress towards a more sustainable and circular framework.
Four strategic recommendations for future action:
1. Revolutionise the industry by reducing output – tackle excess production, redesign production cycles, and minimize resource consumption.
2. Prioritise environmental objectives beyond carbon mitigation – acknowledge wider environmental consequences, particularly on aquatic ecosystems.
3. Promote an equitable circular transition – concentrate on fair employment, equitable pay, and improved labour conditions.
4. Pursue coordinated efforts spanning science, technology, policy, and finance – integrated efforts in these domains are crucial for realizing a circular textile economy.
The global textile sector is ensnared in a detrimental cycle characterised by excessive production of low-cost garments with brief lifespans. Each year sees enormous extraction of non-renewable resources to produce billions of disposable clothing items and home textiles; recycled textiles make up an insignificant fraction.
Recycled materials constitute only 0.3% of all substances employed by the global textile industry. The internal recycling rate within this sector is virtually negligible. A significant hurdle to achieving greater circularity within textiles is rampant overproduction of inexpensive garments of inferior quality. Major retail brands now introduce up to two dozen new collections annually, leaving about 30% of clothes unsold.
This analysis concentrates on textiles used in clothing, leather goods, footwear (TLCF), home furnishings, and upholstery but does not include technical textiles like those in medical or automotive applications.
One of the several examinations in the report identifies two major players in textile consumption and production: China and the US. China stands as the top global textile manufacturer with 40% share in material demand for production while US leads in consumption causing substantial impacts on water scarcity and climate change. Notably, per capita environmental repercussions due to textiles in the US are five to eight times above global norms highlighting the need for tailored regional strategies.
Six circular strategies are proposed in the report that could potentially triple the Circularity Metric of the textile industry while halving its environmental tolls. This study applies these strategies against baseline data from 2021 to gauge their effect on both Circularity Metric and eight ecological consequences.
These strategies include shifting to natural/local/recycled fibres; enhancing garment durability; producing natural fibres responsibly; embracing slow fashion; advancing circular manufacturing techniques; transforming regional supply chain dynamics. While individual scenarios show limited benefits when combined they can elevate Circularity Metric to 0.9%.
The report bolsters ongoing initiatives by the H&M Foundation such as the Global Change Award, which fosters innovations that benefit people and the environment alike, and Saamuhika Shakti, which promotes inclusive circularity in collaboration with waste collectors. The findings will help shape where the foundation's philanthropic contributions can be most impactful towards decarbonising the industry equitably and effectively.
H&M Foundation innovation, research & demonstration head Christiane Dolva said: “We supported this report to provide the textile industry with actionable insights. The report highlights the most impactful circularity efforts. While not a complete solution, circularity is a powerful tool for driving meaningful change. We hope these insights will support industry-wide transformation, benefiting both people and the planet."
In September this year, the H&M Foundation exclusively told Just Style of its plan to extend the Saamuhika Shakti project, an initiative aimed at improving the livelihoods of informal waste pickers in India for another three years with an additional $11m funding for its second phase.
