Fast fashion is one of our generations biggest issues, at the same time we have the opportunity to move towards a circular economy in textiles. Apart from the unethical production habits and overproduction of clothes, the textiles used are often one of the biggest problems. Recycled polyester is nowadays one of the most common “sustainable” alternatives used by companies. This article discusses the many options of circular textiles and questions which approaches are truly circular or more likely only a marketing gag. To get more insights we talked to Charlotte Borst, Innovation Associate at Fashion for Good. She is an expert in the field of circular textiles and gave us many great examples of innovative approaches, which are already out there.
What distinguishes a circular from a non-circular textile?
There are three main aspects a textile has to have in order to be circular. Those are:
- The textile needs to be recyclable (Design for Recycling).
- A recycling system for the textile is available.
- The textile is made of recycled textile material (Recycling in Design).
- The production procedure does not create microfibers or other non-recyclable waste.
But now on to our expert.
How did you get involved in the circular fashion industry?
I started to study design, and with a focus on clothing design in Barcelona, but I realized during my studies that this wasn’t the right thing for me as I got very frustrated by the amount of waste I produced by doing prototypes. I also realized during my studies that my main focus and interest is on sustainability and how the fashion industry can be turned into a force for good as opposed to continuing the fast fashion cycle. I decided to switch to AMFI, the department of fashion and management. I volunteered at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit and got in contact with Fashion for Good for the first time. I immediately thought it was a great initiative as it brings together all the important stakeholders and drives collaboration and innovation in the industry. Because I was on the search for a job next to my studies and they had recently opened a museum, I started to work there. When I graduated two years ago, Fashion for Good was looking for someone knowledgeable in the textile technologies field so I was able to transition to the innovation platform with a focus on raw material innovation.
What are you focusing on right now?
At Fashion for Good, I am focusing on everything that relates to new raw materials like advanced biomaterials, renewable carbon solutions, and leather alternatives. It involves, on the one hand, a lot of research into the newest findings and insights and on the other consulting our brand partners on material related topics. We work as an outsourced R&D department for bands like Adidas or Chanel to get the gist of what’s out there in terms of leading innovations. Next to that, I am also working on our accelerator program where we scout and select startups in the fashion industry that develop sustainable solutions. We cover all the different steps of the supply chain from new raw materials to wet processing solutions, traceability solutions and end of life technologies like recycling innovations. We built the bridge between the innovators and the companies and drive implementations.
How could big brands get inspired by circularity?
Circularity is already a huge topic in the industry, but unfortunately, we only see polyester being treated circularly. This is of course a step in the right direction, but recycled polyester brings many issues with it, unfortunately. These include:
- The issue of microfiber shedding is not addressed
- Recycled polyester is often blended with virgin material
- The recycling process still involves chemical-intensive processes
- There are huge deficits in the infrastructures and recycling logistics
What is microfiber shedding?
Microfibers are textile fibres that shed from our clothes during processes like production, use and disposal. Both synthetic (plastic) and natural (cellulose/protein) textiles are prone to shedding, nevertheless only plastic-based materials like polyester, rayon, nylon, and acrylic can shed microplastics. These less than 5 mm big microfibers are the most common type of microplastic. Many issues are arising from microfiber sheddings like potential impacts on human health, marine life, and the environment.
Textile legislations for a circular industry
Some companies that are selling recycled polyester products are often made from pre-consumer waste like production waste or even artificially created waste that is then recycled into recycled polyester. This shows that although circularity and sustainability have become a common practice for brands, there are already a lot of issues. I think for the industry to be inspired to have a holistic approach to circular materials is only by regulations, because companies don’t get inspired by other things than making profits. There needs to be legislation that forces the companies to take a holistic perspective on circular materials. One aspect is the topic of extended producer responsibility, meaning that companies are forced to ensure that their materials can be recycled in the right infrastructures. One of the leading European countries in this area is France, where this legislation is already implemented.
Do you think a circular fashion industry is a realistic goal?
It must be a realistic goal, it’s not really a choice. If we include all the different facets that are included in circular fashion, I think we can get there. But it is definitely not a one silver bullet solution, like a new biobased polyester alternative, or a new recycling technology. We need to bring together the whole set of different solutions from all the different areas of the supply chain. Concluding, I think a circular fashion industry is definitely a realistic goal as the solutions are already there. But as long as the industry continues to look for silver bullet solutions, which do not exist, it is difficult.
One final thought on the topic of circular economy in textiles?
One element that we haven’t discussed, which is kind of also a bit of the elephant in the room, is overproduction. If I think of circular fashion, I am always thinking of the aspect that it should never be an excuse to continue the fast fashion system as it is. If we just keep business as usual but replace all of the materials with circular alternatives it won’t eliminate one of the biggest problems of the industry which is the extremely wasteful overproduction. To help with this issue, we need to have digital solutions throughout the whole supply chain, including:
- Better demand forecasting
- 3D design
- Focusing on-demand manufacturing
- Using all the different types of circular business models
The best would be to have a zero-waste approach for the whole supply chain.
Overall conclusion on the topic of circularity in textiles
A circular fashion industry is strongly dependent on the change to circular textiles. Textiles that don’t shed microplastics nor that are not recyclable. Although the fast fashion industry claims to work in the right direction, recycled polyester is not the solution. Many natural fibres do not compromise the health of our earth. Still, those are of course more expensive than the unbeatable polyester fibre. As Charlotte Borst, Innovation Associate at Fashion for Good said, without legislation challenging companies to take responsibility for the entire product life cycle by using circular textiles, there is a lack of pressure to create a fully circular industry.
Wanna learn more about circular economy in textiles ? Reach out via e-mail: hello@wegozero.co.
