FASHION’S WASTE CRISIS
AND HOW TO SOLVE IT.
Prepared for the Eileen Fisher Foundation by Pentatonic®
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“WHETHER YOU ARE A CEO, A DESIGNER, AN INVESTOR, A MANUFACTURER, SOMEONE INTERESTED IN FASHION, OR JUST SOMEONE THAT WEARS CLOTHES: WE INVITE YOU TO FIND WHERE YOU FIT IN, AND WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A CHANGE. EVERYONE CAN DO SOMETHING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND THE TIME IS NOW.”
— Eileen Fisher, founder of EILEEN FISHER, Inc.
and the Eileen Fisher Foundation
WHAT ARE THE MOST TANGIBLE WAYS TO INCREASE GLOBAL RECYCLING FROM FASHION INDUSTRY WASTE?
HEY FASHION! set out to answer this in the autumn of 2021. Textile waste is intertwined with a host of other systemic issues which need addressing holistically to achieve the monumental shift from linear business models to circular systems. Below are 8 PRIORITY ACTION AREAS which we have unpacked here and on our social media channels.
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![01 SCALE SORTING]()
01 SCALE SORTING
Collecting and sorting is the driving force behind textile recycling. Establishing comprehensive infrastructure is key to solving the textile waste problem.
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![02 INVEST IN RECYCLING]()
02 INVEST IN RECYCLING
Textile recycling is currently underfunded. Investing in existing recycling technologies and building recycling infrastructure will drive the circular fashion agenda forward.
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![03 MAKE LESS, BUY LESS]()
03 MAKE LESS, BUY LESS
Approximately 150 billion items of clothing are produced each year, outpacing the quantity recycling facilities around the world can handle. Slowing down production and consumption is pivotal to keeping the planet (and the people on it) healthy.
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![04 WORK TOGETHER]()
04 WORK TOGETHER
Shifting an entire global industry away from linear systems is complex and requires collective action from all stakeholders to ensure that circularity becomes the ‘new business as usual.’
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![05 DESIGN TO LAST, DESIGN TO RECYCLE]()
05 DESIGN TO LAST, DESIGN TO RECYCLE
Recycling textiles starts with design. Designing products that can be disassembled and made with fewer fibers (to name a few) can help recyclers process textiles more easily and economically when they reach the end-of-life.
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![06 DEFINE AND STANDARDIZE]()
06 DEFINE AND STANDARDIZE
Industry standardization and universal definitions will help establish a common framework, reduce greenwashing and create comparable metrics to help stakeholders navigate brand achievements in circularity.
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![07 LEAVE FOSSILS IN THE GROUND]()
07 LEAVE FOSSILS IN THE GROUND
Many sectors rely on fossil fuels to produce products and the fashion industry is no exception. Divesting from fossil fuel is essential for the fashion industry to achieve net zero emissions, and a net positive circular economy.
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![08 PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFIT]()
08 PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFIT
Bold commitments with clear implementation strategies are vital to unlocking circularity in fashion. Adopting a truly circular system needs to include financial metrics alongside environmental and social costs.
