Wrap announces new initiative ‘Textiles 2030’ to launch April 2021

UK sustainability non-profit Wrap has announced a new initiative launching in April 2021 called Textiles 2030.

The new voluntary agreement follows the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan 2020 (SCAP) and aims to engage UK fashion and textiles organisations to take action to reduce the impact of climate change.

Textiles 2030 intends to reduce lifestyle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the global aim of a 1.5 degrees celsius trajectory, cut the water footprint of products and deliver a UK circular textiles road map.

The Target-Measure-Act approach in the initiative is central to the Textiles 2030 agreement as it will require clothing and textile businesses to set targets, measure their impact and track their progress for public reporting and national targets, as well as on an individual business basis.

Ahead of Textile 2030’s official launch in April 2021, the companies and organisations to have already signed up to the initiative are: The British Fashion Council, British Heart Foundation, The British Retail Consortium, Cancer Research UK, Charity Retail Association, CTR Group, Institute of Positive Fashion, John Lewis & Partners, Next, Oxfam, Primark, Recyclatex, Re-Fashion, Sainsbury’s, Salvation Army Trading Company, SOEX UK, Suez, Ted Baker, Textiles Recycling Association and Tesco.

Marcus Gover, chief executive of Wrap, said in a statement: “SCAP 2020 has been an amazing journey and so much has been achieved. However, more action is needed by more companies to make clothing more sustainable. That is why we need to continue this work. Textiles 2030 will pick up the mantle.”

Wrap warned that major clothing retailers and brands must show a far larger commitment to more sustainable clothing or risk losing sales.

Through a ‘Clothing and behavioural insights during Covid-19 restrictions’ survey of 2,091 Brits, Wrap discovered that more than half of people are concerned about the impact fashion is having on the environment, and 63 percent said that clothes made to last longer and look good are factors when purchasing.

46 percent of the public want new retail options such as voucher schemes for clothing exchanges and 41 percent of respondents want new schemes for their pre-loved clothes.

Leah Riley Brown, sustainability policy advisor at the British Retail Consortium, added: “The British Retail Consortium supports Textiles 2030 as an important step towards decarbonising and accelerating change within the UK fashion industry.

“Alongside our Climate Action Roadmap, both will provide a comprehensive way forward for fashion retailers to deliver an ambitious target to tackle climate change ahead of the Government’s 2050 net-zero target.

“Industry-wide collaboration is essential if we are to make crucial, science-based progress to create a more circular economy and combat climate change.”

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