3.11

The Rise of Fast Fashion and Critical Recycling Challenges

During week 6 and in this step we’ll take a closer look at the use of recycled materials, how waste has drastically increased over the last 30 years and how the industry is struggling to recycle textile waste.

A Global Outlook on Recycling of Textile Waste

The global recycling rate for textile waste is exceptionally low, particularly for being recycled back into new clothing:

Materials from recycled sources: Only 0.3 percent of materials used by the global textile industry come from recycled sources, with most of that being recycled plastic bottles (not old textiles).
Recycling into new garments: Less than 1 percent of all discarded textiles are recycled into new garments.
Collection for reuse or recycling: Globally, only about 20 percent of discarded textiles are collected for either reuse or recycling. The vast majority of collected items are reused or downcycled into products like industrial rags or insulation.
Disposal: Roughly 87 percent of the materials and fibers used to make clothing end up in landfills or are incinerated.

In the video below, the challenges of recycling the fast fashion industry’s vast textile waste are investigated. While new chemical recycling technologies are emerging, high costs and the industry’s slow commitment, as seen with Renewcell’s bankruptcy, show that legislative change is needed to scale solutions.

The video here, which covers the 40-year history of clothing and why quality has declined, also offers new perspectives on our current recycling challenges.

Further reading, learning and references

Circle Economy Foundation – The Circularity Gap Report – Textiles https://www.circularity-gap.world/textiles

European Parliament – Fast fashion: EU laws for sustainable textile consumption https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20201208STO93327/fast-fashion-eu-laws-for-sustainable-textile-consumption

The Roundup – 17 Most Worrying Textile Waste Statistics & Facts https://theroundup.org/textile-waste-statistics/

Businesss Waste – Fashion Waste Facts and Statistics https://www.businesswaste.co.uk/your-waste/textile-recycling/fashion-waste-facts-and-statistics/

UN Environment Programme – Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 https://www.unep.org/resources/global-waste-management-outlook-2024

More Perfect Union – It’s Not Just Shein: Why Are ALL Your Clothes Worse Now? https://uppsala.instructuremedia.com/embed/1f1cecbd-2355-40af-b77c-8b9c06521e4a

© Daniel Mossberg, CEMUS, Uppsala University and Sonali Phadke, studio Alternatives and Stephanie Foote