Wrap launches sustainability initiative 'Textiles 2030', major retailers sign up

UK non-profit Wrap has launched Textiles 2030, a new initiative aiming to transform the fashion and textiles sector into “a climate-neutral and profitable industry that is fit for the future”.

Thirty-five organisations have so far signed up to the initiative, including Ted Baker, Next, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis & Partners, Oxfam, Primark, Gymshark, Asos, Boohoo, Re-Fashion, The British Fashion Council and The British Retail Consortium.

The voluntary agreement, funded by its signatories and the government, sets out a number of carbon, water and circular textiles targets to be met by 2030. Signatories will also contribute to national policy discussions with UK governments to shape Extended Producer Responsibility and other critical regulatory developments.

Shared targets include reducing the aggregate greenhouse gas footprint of new products by 50 percent, and cutting down the aggregate water footprint of new products sold by 30 percent. Signatories will also set out individual targets and report back to Wrap on their progress.

Retailers join up for 10-year sustainability targets

“It is clear the sector needs to break the pattern of take, make, and dispose and move towards a circular system where products are re-used and recycled more easily,” Wrap said on its website.

Textiles 2030 follows Wrap’s Sustainable Clothing Action Plan 2020 (SCAP), an earlier initiative that saw businesses achieve significant reductions in their carbon and water footprints during the eight year programme.

A virtual event is taking place on April 26 to mark the launch of Textiles 2030 led by an expert panel including Wrap CEO Marcus Gover, baroness Lola Young, environment minister Rebecca Pow, and head of Wrap Global Richard Swannell.

Guest speakers also include Marks & Spencer, Thrift+, Ganni and Fashion Revolution.

“As one of the founding signatories of Textiles 2030, Frasers Group is proud and excited to be collaborating with fellow leading retailers and others to reduce the impact of the textiles industry on the environment and climate change,” said Dayna Wragg, sustainability lead at Frasers Group.

Gymshark chief product officer Ben Francis said: “As a young company, we’re at the beginning of our sustainability journey. This programme fits in perfectly with our sustainability strategy and will give us the opportunity to develop meaningful collaborations and projects that will be key to achieve our targets.

“We’re fully committed to putting sustainability at the heart of everything we do, so we’ll play our part in reducing emissions, virgin resources, and developing products that follow circularity principles.”