Introduction
The fashion and textile industry is one of the largest industries that consumes significant amounts of resources and releases high levels of pollution into the environment, thus exacerbating the effects of climate change. This paper argues that the current linear business model of the industry is unsustainable and has been responsible for the over-exploitation of natural resources, excessive emission of greenhouse gases, and excessive generation of waste.
In the recent past, the awareness of the impact of the industry on the environment and the demand for sustainable fashion among consumers has led to the adoption of the circular economy approach. Circular fashion has emerged as a viable concept to help the fashion industry overcome the current environmental issues and pave the way for a sustainable future.
Circular fashion is an approach that involves the design, production, use, and reuse of clothing and textiles in a circular manner and in ways that reduce negative impacts on the environment. Sustainable product design can be defined as the incorporation of sustainable design principles, new materials and manufacturing technologies, new forms of business, and proper recycling strategies to form a loop.
This research paper aims to offer a systematic literature review of the circular fashion paradigm, the key components of this concept, and the ability of the circular fashion paradigm to solve the environmental issues affecting the textile industry. It looks at the enablers and challenges that exist with circular fashion, plus examples of brands and programs that are already operating in a circular fashion. Moreover, the study aims to identify key stakeholders involved in shaping the circular fashion economy and the necessary strategies and actions to facilitate this change.
The Environmental Impact of the Textile Industry
The fashion and textile industry has been identified to be one of the most polluting industries in the world. The conventional business model of the industry is a linear model that involves the take-make-waste model resulting in the exploitation of natural resources, increased waste production, and high greenhouse emissions.
- Resource Depletion
The textile industry is one of the most material-intensive sectors, which means it is the most
reliant on the extraction and utilization of non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels for the
production of synthetic fibers and processing of raw materials. It is also a heavy user of water, and it takes about 2700 liters of water to make a single cotton t-shirt. Sources like cotton, wool, and other natural fibers used in the production of textiles have been over-exploited and this has become a major threat to the sustainability of the industry.
- Waste Generation
Another industry that is a significant source of waste is the textile industry, as billions of tons of textile waste are produced each year. Much of this waste is dumped in landfill sites or burned, which in turn leads to the emission of unhealthy greenhouse gases and the disposal of valuable resources. In addition, the dumping of textile waste can also cause pollution of the soil and water resources that are essential in the provision of clean water to society.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Textiles and apparel are also a major source of greenhouse gases that contribute to about 10% of the total carbon emissions. The creation of textiles, especially in the growth of cotton and the production of synthetics, consumes a significant amount of energy from fossil fuel sources and results in the emission of large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
- Chemical Pollution
The textile industry also involves the employment of different chemicals that are used in dyeing, solvent, and finishing of textile products. Disposal of these chemicals in the wrong way exposes the water and soil to pollution, and thus, the environment and human health are at risk. Further, the release of these chemicals may have an impact on water bodies and the health of those working in this sector.
The Circular Fashion Paradigm
This awareness led to the development of circular fashion to eliminate the detrimental impacts and fix the current and future problems that confront the textile industry. Circular fashion is an approach that seeks to design, manufacture, utilize, and recycle clothing materials and garments in a cycle that can be repeated without much harm or strain to the ecology in the course of production
When it comes to circular fashion, the following principles are derived from a circular economy that is defined as a closed-loop system that challenges the conventional ‘take-make-dispose’ approach. The key elements of circular fashion include: The key elements of circular fashion include:
1. Design for Circularity: Creating garments and textiles intended for easy disassembly to component fabrics and individual parts and components that are reversible and subsequently recyclable. This includes single material design, control of toxic substances, and design for circularity, where products employ design for recovery, reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing.
2. Innovative Materials and Production Processes: The use of environmentally friendly and recyclable product materials and new production techniques that reduce wastewater usage and energy. use
3. New Business Models: Considering and encouraging new forms of consumption patterns based on product rental/ leasing, sharing, re-sale, and or otherwise designing for use that maximizes the durability, re-use, and the closed loop recycling of products and materials.
4. Effective End-of-Life Strategies: This means of collecting, separating, and reusing the wear-outs so that a reuse and recycling initiative improves waste management and optimizes the utilization of valuable material in the textile manufacturing process.
The major differences of circular fashion are designed to return the elements of its value proposition back into the closed loop, maximizing recycling and reuse to reduce the impact on the environment.
Design for Circularity
In the circular fashion paradigm, design for circularity is highly relevant because it describes the process of how, when designing clothing and textiles, a clear path toward disassembling the products once their usage is over and reusing or recycling them is developed.
- Design Principles for Circularity
1. Material Selection: This means that products that are made of a single material or compatible material that can be easily separated and recycled instead of having a mix of materials that cannot be recycled.
2. Elimination of Harmful Chemicals: The prohibition of using dangerous chemicals and the utilization of less risky and environmentally friendly materials in the production process to guarantee the reusability and biodegradation of products.
3. Modular and Adaptable Design: The integration of design elements that are flexible and can be disassembled or repaired and altered to make products last longer.
4. Design for Durability and Longevity: Creating durable goods that last longer and are less likely to wear out, thus requiring replacement more often.
5. Design for Recyclability: Design for disassembly, where design features are incorporated into a product that makes it easier to disassemble and recycle at the end of its life, for instance, through the use of easily identifiable materials and avoiding the use of composites.
6. Design for Reuse and Upcycling: The following design features as a means of reusing and recycling garments and textiles: the modularity of the garments and the use of recycled materials.
The implementation of design for circularity in the fashion industry faces several key challenges
1. Complex Material Compositions:
- The fashion industry has long depended on the combination of synthetic and natural fibers and the use of different coatings, dyes, and finishes to achieve fabrics with certain characteristics.
- Although these fabric pairings can improve functionality and beauty, they complicate the process of deconstructing and repurposing clothing items once they have reached their usefulness.
- Alloying the various materials demands high levels of recycling and the necessary technology and infrastructure to support it are not always easily accessible or feasible.
- The switch from the use of mixed materials to mono-materials or compatible material combinations entails a substantial capital investment in research and development as well as in product design and production processes.
2. Lack of Standardization:
- A lack of general rules and best practices regarding circular design principles results in confusion and a lack of uniformity and coherence for fashion brands.
- The current system of labeling materials is not very coherent and this makes it difficult for recyclers to sort and recycle the materials properly.
- This is compounded by the fact that there are no standardized recycling processes and collection networks in different areas and countries, making the practice of circular design even more challenging.
- Adoption of standard specifications, rules, regulations, and accreditations may assist in harmonizing the industry and give a road map on how the circular design will be embraced.
3. Perceived Trade-offs between Aesthetics and Circularity:
- Fashion consumers have been put in a state whereby they have certain expectations when it comes to the style, comfort, and trendiness of the garments that they wear.
- Circular designers may think that following circular design principles would reduce their creativity and the opportunity to satisfy these consumers’ demands.
- To change this perception, it is crucial to show that circular design is not mutually exclusive with aesthetics and functionality and, in fact, can positively impact the aesthetic and usability of a product.
- It is important to raise awareness of circular design among both designers and consumers for the potential of circular design to provide desirable products.
4. Lack of Industry Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing:
- Design for circularity involves a wide range of activities that need to be coordinated across different stakeholders such as designers, suppliers, producers, recyclers, and policymakers.
- Due to the uncoordinated structure of the fashion industry, most of the companies are SMEs and this makes it difficult to develop proper communication and cooperation strategies.
- One of the main reasons is the need for increased cooperation between industries and the exchange of best practices and innovative solutions in the field of circular fashion.
5. Siloed Approaches and Short-term Mindsets:
- Fast fashion companies are majorly concerned with the immediate revenues and the speed at which they respond to the trends in the market, without much consideration of the circular design principles.
- The current linear structure, where design, production, and disposal are separate processes, can pose challenges to the application of circular fashion solutions.
6. Limited Consumer Awareness and Engagement:
- Lack of knowledge and awareness of consumers, and their inability to embrace the principles of circular fashion and their parts in the process of transition may slow down the implementation of circular design.
- Involving consumers and raising awareness of the positive impacts of circular fashion is necessary for creating demand and demand for circular products.
Solving these issues will involve a complex approach that will involve multiple actors, including product designers, material producers, manufacturers, recyclers, collectors, consumers, and other stakeholders. These are the key challenges that need to be addressed in order to unlock circular design in fashion. To overcome these challenges, it is necessary to involve fashion brands, suppliers, recyclers, policymakers, and consumers to design and implement circular design strategies for fashion businesses.
Driving greater consumer adoption of circular fashion requires comprehensive consumer education initiatives.
1. Awareness Campaigns:
- Conduct massive public enlightenment programs to create awareness among consumers about the effects on the environment and society of the current fashion system.
- Emphasize the advantages of circular fashion, namely the minimization of waste, the preservation of resources, and the increase in the duration of product use.
- Engage the large public through the use of advertisements, social networks, and collaborations with celebrities.
2. Labeling and Transparency:
- Establish guidelines for easy and universal labeling to give information on the circularity of fashion products.
- This may involve information regarding the employment of recycled or sustainable materials, the materials’ recyclability, and the company’s circular design strategies.
- Explain how brands can be more open about their sustainability practices and the circularity of their products.
3. In-store Education and Engagement:
- Promote educational activities in the stores, including the use of circular design information media, for example, information boards and circular design staff.
- Arrange special events or workshops, or so-called ‘repair clinics’ in stores to explain to consumers how circular fashion can be used in practice.
4. Digital Platforms and Influencer Partnerships:
- Use websites, social media channels, and blogs to post educational content, stories, and guides about circular fashion.
- Engage other people who are well known in society and are concerned with the issue at hand, for instance, fashion bloggers, sustainable gurus, and celebrities.
5. Incentive-based Programs:
- Promote positive consumer engagement through incentives, for instance, garment take-back schemes, rental/leasing models, or secondhand shopping.
- Encourage consumers to participate in these circular fashion activities by giving them incentives like offering them deals or loyalty points.
6. Product Stewardship and Extended Producer Responsibility:
- Inform consumers about product stewardship – a concept where brands assume the role of managing products throughout their lifecycle, including disposal.
- Make consumers aware of their responsibility for returning or disposing of products in a sustainable manner and their contribution to the circular fashion system.
7. Collaboration with Educational Institutions:
- Collaborate with universities, design schools, and vocational training institutions to teach and incorporate circular fashion concepts.
- Include students and the future fashion industry to support the integration of circular design concepts.
Through these consumer education initiatives, fashion brands and industry bodies can build the necessary awareness and desire for consumers to participate in a circular fashion and help to expand the shift towards a more sustainable fashion ecosystem.
Fashion brands can effectively communicate the circular attributes of their products to consumers through a multi-faceted approach that combines transparency, labeling, and engaging storytelling.
1. Product Labeling and Certification:
- Create concise and harmonized product tags that signal the circularity of the garment, including the use of recycled or renewable materials, and recyclability, or circular design principles.
- Any circular claims should be supported by third-party certifications and ecolabels, which gives assurance to consumers.
- It should be clearly put on the product and the location where it will be placed, whether in physical shops or online shops, should also be easily visible by the customers.
2. Transparent and Authentic Communication:
- Include information on circular design and production on the brand’s website, in the stores, and in other relevant forms of communication.
- Explain the brand’s circular fashion journey, the difficulties encountered, and the advancements made toward achieving circular design.
- Do not use misleading information or overly optimistic promises, but rather, emphasize the circular characteristics and the company’s work in this direction.
3. Storytelling and Emotional Connections:
- Create engaging stories that link the circular characteristics of the product to the user’s identity, needs, and dreams.
- Develop appealing and emotionally driven visuals that tell a story regarding the usage of materials, manufacturing of the product, and disposal.
- Engage more consumers and influencers to share their stories and experiences about circular fashion to make it viral and encourage others to follow.
4. In-Store Experiences and Educational Touchpoints:
- Use promotional tools such as shelf stands and other point-of-sale tools to inform the consumer about the circular characteristics of the products.
- Employ competent sales personnel who can inform the consumers on the various aspects of circular design and the importance of embracing circular fashion.
- Provide repair, recycling, or take-back services in stores to consumers to show the brand’s commitment to circularity and directly interact with consumers.
5. Digital Platforms and Omnichannel Approach:
- Utilize the website and social media pages of the brand and other online platforms to promote the circularity of the products.
- For example, use augmented reality, virtual try-on, or any other digital solutions to enable the consumer to appreciate the circularity of the product.
- Make sure that the circular messaging and the information disseminated are harmonized across the different channels of communication with the consumers.
6. Collaborative Initiatives and Industry Alignment:
- Engage in industry-specific programs like circular fashion associations or the development of standards to ensure that the brand’s circular communication is consistent with those of the industry.
- Partner with other brands, recyclers, or waste management organizations to create awareness of circular fashion through awareness campaigns.
By adopting a holistic and transparent approach to communicating the circular attributes of their products, fashion brands can build trust, increase consumer awareness, and drive the adoption of circular fashion among their target audience.
Conclusion
It is essential and challenging to change the fashion industry towards a more sustainable and circular system, and it needs to be done in multiple ways. The current textile industry is characterized by a linear take-make-waste model that has been unsustainable for decades and is responsible for environmental degradation, depletion of resources, and climate change.
Circular fashion has the potential to become a sustainable solution since it aims to maintain the circulation of products and materials for as long as possible through design for durability, reuse, repair, recycling, and closed-loop manufacturing. This change is in line with the circular economy, a system that seeks to optimize the use of resources to the maximum extent.
Key elements of a successful circular fashion transition include:
1. Sustainable design: Using sustainable materials, pre-fabricated building techniques, and designing for long life, ease of disassembly, and recycling.
2. Innovative business models: Examining rental, leasing, and product-as-a-service business models that foster circularity.
3. Closed-loop recycling: The development of new technologies to recycle textile fibers and materials for the reuse of the same.
4. Collaborative ecosystems: Building and maintaining relationships between the various players in the value chain such as brands, manufacturers, recyclers, and consumers.
5. Policy and regulatory support: Promoting policies like extended producer responsibility, ban on landfilling, and encouraging circular economy practices.
6. Consumer engagement: The company’s responsibility is to inform and enable consumers to make better decisions when purchasing clothes and using them.
Although the shift to circular fashion is not going to be a walk in the park, it will have its benefits. The successful implementation of circular principles in the textile industry can help in the reduction of the negative impacts on the environment, the creation of new opportunities for economic growth, and the promotion of sustainable development in the future. It is possible for industry players, policymakers, and consumers to collectively effect the changes that will lead to a circular economy in the fashion industry.
