50 Star US Inc.
In Europe, textile waste is a serious environmental problem. Every year, the area uses a lot of textiles, and a sizable fraction of those textiles end up in waste. Per person in Europe today, more than 15 kg of textile waste are produced.
According to a McKinsey analysis, at least one-fifth of the textile waste produced in Europe may be recycled into new apparel. The study also predicts that by 2030, a circular economy for textiles will be lucrative and will have added 15,000 new employment to the continent.
Natural fibers (like cotton or wool) and synthetic fibers (like polyester or nylon) are frequently combined to create textiles. The separation and recycling process is complicated by the fact that these fibers may be blended, woven, dyed, or coated. The quality and ability of recycled fibers to be recycled can be impacted by the presence of various materials and chemical additions.
Particularly when it comes to sorting the gathered clothing, separating blended fibers, separating fibers from chemicals including color during recycling, and determining which chemicals were utilized in production in the first place, there is a shortage of appropriate technology. The lack of data clarity concerning the fiber, dye, and decoration content of clothing is a major barrier between fabric producers, manufacturers, and retailers.
Future clothing will increasingly connect to a Digital Product Passport (DPP), either through an inbuilt hardware tag (such NFC, RFID, or Bluetooth) or a scannable QR code on a care label. Therefore, the use of DPP is still a problem that needs to be solved as quickly as possible.
The extraction of resources, processing, washing, drying, and waste incineration all contribute to the production and use of textiles, which results in greenhouse gas emissions. Total greenhouse gas emissions from textile products used in the EU were 121 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), or 270 kg CO2e per person.
Around 4,000 million m3 of blue water, or 9 m3 per person, was needed to make all the garments, shoes, and home textiles that EU households would buy in 2020. Additionally, around 20,000 million m3 of green water were consumed, primarily for the production of cotton, or 44 m3 per person. Clothing (40%), footwear (30%), and home and other textiles (30%) are all made mostly with blue water. Green water is mostly used in the manufacturing of domestic textiles (30%) and garments (nearly 50%), with cotton production using the majority of this resource.
The most recent advancement in design for sustainability is designing for circularity. It becomes clear that this most recent development calls for many more disciplines than conventional engineering design when one shifts their attention from a technical and product-centric focus to one on extensive system-level modifications (taking into account both production and consumption systems).
The lifespan, durability, and repairability of textiles are increased thanks to the careful selection of materials during the design stage. The choice of materials affects how long a product may endure and how easily it can be repaired. The quality and durability of clothing are increased by a number of core design principles, such as technical requirements for color fastness and fabric resistance, practical requirements that clothing be versatile and suited for purpose, as well as repair kits and/or replacement parts.
The second method entails minimizing stress by maximizing resource use. By utilizing safe chemicals and a variety of biodegradable materials, textile companies are focusing on reducing and optimizing their use of water, energy, and air pollutants, as well as water contamination. Some sectors of the textile industry have recently adopted business models that put access to products above ownership as a result of the shift to a circular economy.
Designing efficient systems for collecting and selling requires a thorough understanding of customer behavior, as well as their attitude and motivation toward textile disposal. Customers must be made aware of what happens to the collected textiles. This promotes participation, and transparency also helps to thwart corporate greenwashing.
The last track, which focuses on recycling and material reuse, "closes the loop," whereas the earlier pathways were more concerned with "slowing down the loop." This methodology enables the loop to be closed by converting waste textiles into raw material for new textiles or other production chains, hence minimizing resource use and extending the usable life of textiles. Remanufacturing, often known as "upcycling," is a process that allows materials to be reused at the fabric level or at the fiber level. Both lessen the demand for new raw materials and the production of textile waste.
The indicators and results are fantastic right now across all of Europe. Thredup's most recent Resale Report predicts that the global market for used clothing will nearly triple by 2027 and reach $350 billion. Reselling is becoming more popular among retailers.
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