LinkedIn Top Voice | Sustainability Advocate
The global textile industry is 0.3% circular 🌎 The global textile industry is only 0.3% circular, with nearly all its materials—over 99% of the 3.25 billion tones consumed annually—sourced from virgin inputs. Recycled materials, primarily PET bottles, make up a fraction, while the use of recycled textiles remains negligible. Synthetic fibres like polyester, derived from fossil fuels, dominate the sector, accounting for 70% of raw materials. The primary challenge lies in overproduction and overconsumption. Many mass-market brands release up to 24 collections annually, flooding the market with cheap, low-quality garments. This practice leads to approximately 30% of clothing going unsold, contributing significantly to waste. Improving the circularity of textiles requires a shift from volume to value. Prioritizing durable, high-quality garments and implementing repair, rental, and resale models are essential steps. These changes can help reduce waste and extend the lifecycle of textiles while addressing the root cause of overconsumption. The social dimension is equally critical. The industry employs millions worldwide, many of whom face poor wages and working conditions. Building a more circular textile industry must also prioritize fair labor practices, ensuring economic and social benefits alongside environmental progress. Source: The Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #climatechange #climateaction #circularity #circular
One means that consumers (you) can help to force the garment industry to scale back their waste is by increasing your consumption and purchase from recycled goods AKA thrift stores like Goodwill and Value Village or host clothing swap parties with family, friends or neighbors. This is also a good way to expand and enlarge your comprehension of what recycling means. I got introduced to this living in a totally off grid homesite where all utilities were shared between two households and a carpenter’s shop. From there I learned about power consumption, composting and gardening and how to dispose of waste responsibly and ecologically. Moving back to town living I was able to bring back with me new awareness and habits that I have been able to continue to expand and grow. My personal opinion has grown to believe that there probably could be a global moratorium in manufacturing for a number of years because of the existence of surpluses available. I turned this into a sort of a mental game that has been playful and fun and not something I view as any sort of being socially awkward or stigmatizing. Maybe you can try it and then post your story, too that could help others to get started also.
Insightful
The textile industry needs to focus on making better-quality clothes and reducing waste. A more sustainable future is possible! 🌿
Are we considering different bioplastic types in the textile industry? Algae, sugarcane, hemp, fungi, and more bioplastic types?
The relentless cycle of fast fashion and sales events like Black Friday and end-of-season sales fuels overproduction and overconsumption, celebrating corporate success at the expense of environmental and social responsibility
That's crazy to think 99.7% of materials need to be sourced new each time! That has to change!
Agradeço por compartilhar
It's a stark reminder we have to redesign fashion. Use less. Use again. Use longer. Make clean. Kuddos to Circle Economy and H&M Foundation for breaking the news!
LinkedIn Top Voice | Sustainability Advocate
1wJorge Calderas [él/he/him] 🏳️🌈