On the road towards circular textiles. Road map for the Dutch textile industry

Textile is a resource-intensive industry. Only in 2015, 79 billion cubic metres of water was used by the textile and clothing industry. Equally, to produce one t-shirt, 2 700 litres of water are needed.

To make social, ecological, and economic improvements in this sector, a multistakeholder agreement has been concluded in July 2016, the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile, between the government, industrial organisations, trade unions and nongovernmental organisations. The agreement particularly focuses on raw materials and strives to extend the lifespan of textiles. It also intends to turn discarded textiles into newly applicable fibres. Concerning municipalities, they adapt their collection strategies to circular processing.

To fulfil these ambitions, a Circular Textiles Road Map was developed to guide all initiatives. Afval Circulair, the knowledge center on circular economy from the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and Modint, the trade association for manufacturers and suppliers in the fashion and textile industry, were the main contributors to this roadmap. The Dutch Circular Textiles Platform was also launched, to promote this circular development in the sector.