Everything you want to know about the sustainability of the textile and fashion industry
Circularity in the textile and fashion industry means closing the loops in production thus making brands responsible for collecting and processing as much as they produce to maintain textile resources in circulation. Besides, safe circularity requires all materials to be free from hazardous chemicals and ready for reuse and safe recycling. A report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation shows that the clothing sector is far away from being circular: 97 per cent of the fibers are sourced from virgin feedstock, whereas only 1% originates from closed-loop recycling and 2% from recycled feedstock from other industries. Read out posts to learn more about what is preventing the circularity in textile and garment industry and what can be done inside and outside the supply chain to address the problem.
Although wool is sustainable, several steps in its production process can still lead to pollution and emissions. Recycled wool eliminates some of the adverse environmental impacts incurred by the use of virgin wool in fabric production.
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Recycled polyester is lauded as a sustainable solution to reduce the environmental impact of polyester production. But is it really an improvement over conventional polyester?
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The majority of unwanted and damaged textiles and clothing enters the end-of-life pathway of incineration. However, incineration is an unwanted solution due to its highly negative polluting contributions.
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Consumers regularly dispose of clothing and garments due to various reasons, such as sizing issues, the need for tailoring or to keep up with ever-changing fashion trends. Majority of clothing and other textiles disposed of globally unfortunately end up in landfills, which are often not managed safely or sustainably.
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Throughout the textile product lifecycle, there are many hazardous chemicals involved at all stages. Many of these chemicals are toxic to humans and the environment.
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Recycling of mixed fibers is challenging, and therefore the majority of recycling measures lead to downcycling.
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