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28th of November 2024, Amsterdam—The global textile industry, including fashion and home textiles, consumes equivalent to the weight of 322 Eiffel Towers (3.25 billion tonnes) of resources each year to produce increasingly short-lived items. Only 0.3% of these materials come from recycled sources, primarily plastic bottles. The use of recycled textiles in production remains minimal, while oil-derived synthetic fibres like polyester are gaining ground, now accounting for 70% of the materials used to make our clothes.
These are the main findings from the newly released Circularity Gap Report Textiles by impact organisation Circle Economy and the H&M Foundation. The report calls for urgent action to diminish the industry’s environmental impact by embracing circular economy principles such as reuse, recycling, and slow fashion.
One of the primary barriers to circular textiles is the overproduction of cheap, low-quality, primarily synthetic garments, with mass-market brands now releasing up to 24 collections per year. The textile industry has become one of the biggest consumers of resources, leading to environmental damage worldwide. The report estimates that the sector contributes nearly 3.5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to climate change, 5% to nutrient overload that disrupts marine and freshwater ecosystems, and accounts for 3.5% of water scarcity.
Two countries—China and the United States—play a significant role in these environmental impacts, with China being the largest textile producer and the US the largest consumer. Remarkably, the environmental impact per person in the US is five to eight times higher than the global average, driven by heavy textile consumption.
Hilde van Duijn, Managing Director of Circle Economy Foundation said that ‘The textile and fashion industry can considerably reduce its environmental footprint through circular practices. However, this transition will impact the livelihoods of the 140 million workers employed in textile supply chains. Ensuring a just transition for these workers should be a top priority for both governments and businesses.’
Embracing circular economy solutions across the textile value chain can help mitigate climate change and water scarcity, preserve biodiversity and human health and reduce air pollution, among other positive impacts. The report outlines strategies to triple the textile industry’s circularity and reduce its environmental impacts by up to 50%.
These strategies include boosting garment durability through the smart use of synthetic fibres while ramping up textile recycling. Producing natural fibres sustainably is crucial, as traditional farming methods for materials like cotton and wool can exacerbate environmental damage through excessive water, land, pesticide, and energy use. Ultimately, it finds that a circular textile industry is impossible without a dramatic cut in consumption. The average European today consumes a staggering 26 kilograms of textiles each year, and discards 12 kilograms. Embracing slow fashion, which favours quality over quantity, and supporting businesses in adopting rental or sharing models is key to reducing overproduction, while more efficient manufacturing methods can drastically reduce pre-consumer waste.
Christiane Dolva, Head of Innovation, Research & Demonstration at the H&M Foundation said that ‘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, the circular economy is a powerful tool for driving meaningful change. We hope these insights will support industry-wide transformation, benefiting both people and the planet.’
