The Problem of textile waste
The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters in the world, with fabric waste being a significant contributor. Every year, millions of tons of textile waste end up in landfill, where it can take decades to decompose. This leads to environmental degradation through landfill pollutants, water pollution through microplastics, GHG emissions and represents a massive loss of resources. In 2022, the UK alone generated approximately 1.45 million tonnes of post-consumer textiles. Most textile waste falls into this category, as we live in the linear model of ‘take, make, dispose’. However, this can no longer be business as usual. If the preferred recycling route is taken with post-consumer textile in the global North, it regularly is shipped to the global South, and even with good intentions, can end up polluting land and stifling local industries. The need for a shift towards circular fashion has never been more urgent.
What can be done about it?
To combat these problems, the fashion industry must embrace recycling and circular economies to reduce the need for virgin resources and minimise waste.
Recycling involves reprocessing used textiles into new materials. At present, a large proportion of this starts with exporting textile waste to countries who have low-labour rates, as garments typically are manually sorted by their fibre content and processed by removing embellishments that cannot be recycled. In the UK in 2022, approximately half of the post-consumer textile generated was sent to end of life and incinerated or sent to landfill, where the other half was diverted to reuse or exported for recycling. Countries need to strive for a higher percentage of diverted textiles, keeping product in use for longer and converting them into new product, rather than ending their life and useable resources.
Circular business models focus on designing products with their end-of-life in mind, ensuring that materials can be reused, repaired, or recycled. By adopting these practices, we can create a more sustainable and resilient fashion industry.
Disruption and innovation, based on knowing the realities of the sector
Wastewear is at the forefront of the circular fashion movement, bringing a seemingly simple solution, which in reality is much more difficult to implement at scale. As a recycled apparel manufacturer, Wastewear transforms discarded textiles into high-quality clothing. Their innovative approach not only reduces fabric waste but also sets a scalable standard for sustainability in the fashion industry. The positive impact of a single Wastewear product is:
Recycled fabrics, though not a new concept, production and distribution at scale is the next hurdle to overcome. Wastewear has the origins and heritage to truly understand large scale garment production and has been exploring its next target markets.
Scaling up a challenger like Wastewear
Recently, Argon & Co supported Wastewear with a discovery into the EU and UK markets, to identify opportunities and challenges for Wastewear’s expansion, ensuring that their sustainable products reach an appropriate customer. Argon & Co’s expertise in market analysis and strategy, were beneficial in positioning Wastewear for success in these new markets.
Key get rights for scaling up a sustainable business
- Know your target customer – what are the attributes the customer will be searching for? What will be successful selection criteria?
- Understand market regulations and compliance – what are the regulations and compliance requirements for importing and exporting? What future expectation may be incoming that could change your approach?
- Build strong distribution channels – Establishing strong partnerships and collaborators, with understand and careful consider of how the product will get to market and ultimately into the hands of consumers
Embracing circular fashion and recycled textiles is not just a trend but a necessity for a sustainable future. As we face the pressing challenges of environmental degradation and resource scarcity, the fashion industry must pivot towards practices that prioritise longevity, reuse, and recycling. By making circular fashion commonplace, we can significantly reduce waste, lower our carbon footprint, and foster a more responsible consumption culture. It’s time for brands, consumers, and policymakers to collaborate and champion this transformative shift, ensuring that sustainable fashion becomes the norm rather than the exception.
The future of fashion is circular, and Wastewear is leading the way.
Author: Vicki Solly
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