Circularity news and archive

Cotton vs. polyester - why the recent cotton ban rumour managed to create such ripples

The text that probably triggered the rumours of an alleged EU-wide cotton ban by 2030 was a partner article. The article stressed that cotton was still an ‘environmental problem’, with the conclusion suggesting that an EU ban on cotton was in the offing if the fashion industry itself did not take action because European regulations made it so....

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Organic textiles brand Cotonea: “We need to overcome the throwaway mentality”

The German manufacturer of organic textiles, Cotonea, has long been committed to greater transparency in the textile supply chain. For example, through the blockchain-based platform Textile Trust, which it developed together with IBM and the supplier of sustainable workwear, Kaya&Kato, back in 2020. Or the Textile Tracker, a joint project with...

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New report suggests 33 sustainable targets for a just fashion system

Industry watchdog Public Eye proposes 33 concrete targets for a just fashion system in its new report “One-Earth Fashion”. It highlights the fact that while the Earth is facing a climate emergency, the fashion system is simply adding fuel to the fire. “This leaves us in a situation where small, positive steps – for example, reducing plastics in...

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Circularity Gap Report: Six circular economy strategies examined

In collaboration with the H&M Foundation, Amsterdam-based organisation Circle Economy has published the latest edition of its Circularity Gap Report. For the first time, the organisations have conducted an in-depth examination of the textile industry, revealing that it is only 0.3 percent circular, compared to an overall global average of 7.2...

Fashion |Opinion Featured

Most consumers know cheap fashion isn’t sustainable—so why do they keep buying it?

Despite growing awareness of the fashion industry's negative impact, consumers continue to purchase affordable, trendy clothes from fast fashion brands and retail giants. Why is that? How can these two realities coexist? The inspiration for this piece comes from a recent article published by Dutch investigative journalism platform De...

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Global Fashion Agenda publishes update of its GFA Monitor on sustainability

Ahead of COP29, the Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) has published its annual GFA Monitor for the third time, highlighting advancements and ongoing challenges in terms of progress on how the fashion industry can reach net positivity. The report is produced in partnership with GFA’s impact partners, the Apparel Impact Institute, Ellen MacArthur...

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The Gen Z dilemma: eco-conscious but addicted to fast fashion

One of the most-read articles on FashionUnited in October was about unauthorised Shein outlets -- pop-up shops that pretend to be by the Chinese internet giant but are simply riding on the brand's popularity. Pop-up shops opened in Dutch cities such as Arnhem, Utrecht and Rotterdam, offering clothes at extremely low prices. These shops have been...

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The future of fashion: is less more?

A confession. My original research question was, “What if the fashion industry simply made less clothes?” (Over)production, reducing speed and seasons could be the answer to almost everything?!, was my thought process. As in: for sustainability in the clothing sector and more broadly: in the pursuit of a circular economy (see text frame below)....

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Transformative change won’t come to the textile sector overnight—here’s why we need to accept intermediary solutions

It's no secret we’re beleaguered by an overwhelming textile waste problem. In 2020, the EU produced an average of 16 kilograms of textile waste per person, roughly equivalent to 50 garments—the vast majority of which was tossed by consumers rather than manufacturers or retailers. Shockingly, a mere 12 percent was reused or recycled, with the...

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‘A circular economy for the textile industry offers opportunities, but also needs action’

A recent report looks at the chances and challenges of a circular textile industry in the Netherlands, thus providing interesting input for other countries as well. The report titled ‘Towards a Dutch Circular Textile Industry’ was published by Invest-NL, an investment company that finances sustainable and innovative projects. While a circular...

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Primark launches its first ‘Swap Shop’ in-store concept

Value fashion retailer Primark is teaming up with circular clothing company Verte to launch its first swap shops in-store. Primark will be trialling the new pre-loved clothing concept to celebrate London Fashion Week, offering customers the chance to exchange pre-loved and vintage clothing in its ‘Swap Shop’ pop-ups launching in select London,...

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Can a 250-million-euro ‘Circularity Fund’ make Shein circular?

It may seem strange indeed to hear ultra-fast fashion giant Shein boasting of circularity measures: The company has launched a new 200 million euros “Circularity Fund” in the EU and the UK plus a further 50 million euros for “broader ESG measures”, planning to invest a total of 250 million euros in circularity over the next five years. However,...