Clothes and the Circular Economy
In 2013, Australians sent $500 million worth of fashion clothing to the tip according to the Council of Textile & Fashion Industries Australia. This concerning statistic is symptomatic of a much larger issue: society’s current ‘take-make-dispose’ business model. With an ever-growing population, the planet’s resources are being stretched to a breaking point. The circular economy offers an alternative way of doing business with a focus on minimising waste and an approach which aims to reduce greenhouse emissions and combat the effects of climate change.
The circular economy goes further than just re-use and recycle, which is vital for a more sustainable world. As the Ellen MacArthur Foundation explains,
“only 20% of total material value in the consumer-goods sector. The remaining 80% still ends up as buried waste.”
The circular economy involves businesses focused on creating products that last longer. It also aims to create more companies that recycle their old products to create new materials and help their customers re-use, upgrade, resell or repair their products.
Conscious Wardrobe supports the work of clothing retailers who are working to create truly sustainable business models which aim to create positive social and environmental impact. We hope that by celebrating companies that are selling ethical clothing we will be able to transform the fashion industry from the bottom up.
Accenture analysed over 120 case studies of companies participating in the circular economy and from this identified five new business models:
Product as a Service
Resource Recovery
Circular Supplies
Sharing Platforms
Product Life Extension
In this blog post, I’ll show you how these models can and have been applied to the fashion industry.
5 Examples of Fashion Companies Embracing the Circular Economy:
The circular economy involves businesses focused on creating products that last longer. It also aims to create more companies that recycle their old products to create new materials and help their customers re-use, upgrade, resell or repair their products.
Conscious Wardrobe supports the work of clothing retailers who are working to create truly sustainable business models which aim to create positive social and environmental impact. We hope that by celebrating companies that are selling ethical clothing we will be able to transform the fashion industry from the bottom up.
Accenture analysed over 120 case studies of companies participating in the circular economy and from this identified five new business models.
Product as a Service
Resource Recovery
Circular Supplies
Sharing Platforms
Product Life Extension
In this blog post, I’ll show you how these models can and have been applied to the fashion industry.
5 Examples of Fashion Companies Embracing the Circular Economy
Image Source: Mud Jeans
The product as a service model provides an alternative to the more traditional ‘buy and own’ model. In this model, customers agree to a lease or pay-for-use arrangement. Mud Jeans, a Dutch denim brand, exemplify how this model can be applied to the fashion industry.
Mud Jeans created an innovative lease model where instead of purchasing a new pair of jeans you rent them. For € 7,50 a month users can rent a pair of jeans. After one year, users are free to swap their jeans for another pair of jeans or continue using their old pair. When jeans are worn out they are returned to Mud Jeans who recycle the old denim, to make a brand new pair of jeans. They also only work with GOTS certified or BCI certified cotton.
Video source: Mud Jeans
More info about Mud Jeans:
Pioneering a Lease Model for Organic Cotton Jeans, Ellen MacArthur Foundation
2. Resource Recovery
Image Source: I:CO
I:CO stands for I collect. This company facilitating large companies such as Puma and H&M to create a closed loop production cycle where clothes and shoes can be recycled to create new products. I:CO offers convenience to its retail partners by facilitating the process of recycling from transport to recycling plant.
Of the clothes that they collect, 40 to 60% are sold as second-hand clothes. 5 to 10% of these textiles are re-used and turned into other products such as cleaning cloths. 30 to 40% are used to create new textile yarns and the remaining fabric is used to generate energy.
Image Source: Ecouterre
3.Circular Supplies
Image Source: Ambercycle
Circular supply models aim to reduce as much waste as possible by using fully renewable, recyclable or biodegradable resources.
Ambercycle is a startup which has developed new technology to break down plastics into raw materials which can be used to manufacture 100% renewable polyester. The rapidly expanding human population has caused manufacturers to mass produce clothes which are often times made of polyester.
Ambercycle’s new fabric offers an environmentally-friendly alternative to polyester which is also cost-effective. They are making plastic recycling profitable by using synthetic biology to engineer custom-tailored organisms that degrade plastics into their chemical components.
For more information:
Ambercycle wins Fabric of Change Competition, Ashoka Foundation
4. Sharing Platforms
Image Source: Clothing Exchange
Sharing platforms allow collaboration between product users. AirBnB is a popular example of such a platform. Sharing platforms have immense potential in the fashion industry with ‘The Clothing Exchange’ providing one such example.
The Clothing Exchange host clothing swap events in Melbourne and Sydney where individuals exchange clothes for tokens which are used to swap clothing with someone else at the event. They also offer the option to swap clothing online.
5. Product Life Extension
Image Source: Nudie Jeans
This model involves companies extending the lifecycle of their product through repairing, upgrading, remanufacturing or remarketing products. Nudie Jeans are one such company using this model to create clothing.
Nudie Jeans have repair shops where an old pair of jeans can be brought to be stitched up, re-sold as a second-hand pair of jeans or donated to the Nudie jeans recycling program. During 2015, 21 331 pairs of jeans were repaired at Nudie jeans Repair Shops. If you don’t have a repair shop in your area, you can order the free repair kit to mend Nudie jeans yourself. Nudie also pre-loved jeans so if you decide you want to get a new pair you can return your Nudie jeans and get 20% off your next pair.
“We don’t believe throwaway and jeans are words that belong together. Just the opposite, jeans are a piece of clothing that ages and grows more beautiful with the wearer and are worth wearing out and mending.” – Nudie Jeans
Conscious Wardrobe is excited that more Australian businesses are looking to employ sustainable practises in the manufacturing of their clothing. We want to help you find products that are ethically produced, look good and last you a lifetime.
We want Australians to start demanding more. We strive to create a generation of well-dressed warriors who defend their right to clothing that doesn’t cost the earth.
If you think your business fits into one of the models described above, we’d love to hear from you!
Contact us at: consciouswardorbe@gmail.com
