What is Circular Fashion?
At Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2017, 90 fashion brands and retailers from Nike to adidas, Ganni to Reformation, Lacoste to VF Corporation signed onto the Global Fashion Agenda’s 2020 Circular Fashion System Commitment. For a term that only emerged in 2014 ‘circular fashion’ has rapidly become one of fashion’s most embraced sustainability concepts. What does this mean for the fashion industry? Let's find out at Greenextionary Vol.2: What is Circular Fashion?
What is circular fashion?
Circular fashion is a concept and a system of production, consumption, and waste management that is designed to eliminate waste and pollution, and conserve natural resources. It is based on the principles of a circular economy, which aims to create a closed-loop system where resources are kept in use for as long as possible, and waste and pollution are minimized.
Fashion currently operates under a linear fashion model designed to maximize the production and consumption of clothing. Resources are extracted from the planet, turned into products and then thrown away when no longer required. In a circular system, materials could be reused and recycled, thus eliminating waste and pollution by limiting the extractive production of virgin raw materials, regenerating natural systems, and decreasing textile waste.
Why is circular fashion important?
Since the 20th century, clothing has increasingly been considered disposable. As a matter of fact, less than 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothing, and 87% of the textiles used to make clothing end up incinerated or in landfills.
A more shocking statistic is that every second a truckload of clothing is landfilled or burned. Regarding the fact that the textile industry relies mostly on non-renewable resources, the current wasteful linear system is the root cause of this massive and ever-expanding pressure on resources.
Circular fashion is a system where our clothing and personal belongings are produced through a more considered model: where the production of an item and the end of its life are equally important.
By moving to a circular system, the industry can unlock a USD 560 billion economic opportunity. Realising this opportunity requires new business models and collaboration across the value chain (e.g. production, marketing, and after-sales care), to keep safe materials in use.
Opportunity for fashion brands:
There are numerous opportunities for innovative business models to be employed by the fashion industry, including subscription services, clothing rental, peer-to-peer sharing, etc.
Upcycling and Reconstruction
Upcycling and reconstruction involve taking waste materials (upcycling) or existing clothing items (reconstruction) and transforming them into products of higher value, quality, or functionality than the original material. For example, upcycling could involve taking old t-shirts and turning them into a patchwork dress, or using discarded plastic bottles to create a new fabric.
©Marine Serre
For instance, French designer Marine Serre started her business digging in garbage to find stock. Now she managed to build €13.6 million in annual sales by making upcycling a profitable business, which proves that building a new supply chain based on regeneration is possible.
Refurbishment and repair services
These models focus on repairing and refurbishing clothing items rather than discarding them. The aim is to extend the lifespan of products and keep them in circulation for longer, reducing waste and promoting responsible consumption.
For instance, Patagonia is a well-known outdoor clothing brand that offers a repair service for its clothing. Customers can send in their Patagonia clothing for repair, and the company also offers DIY repair guides for those who want to fix their own clothes. Arc'teryx is also offering a similar service, and the brand also launched a program called "Rock Solid Used Gear" where customers can buy refurbished Arc'teryx gear.
Rental and subscription services
These models allow customers to rent clothing items for a period of time and return them, reducing the need to buy new clothes frequently. This model promotes sustainability, reducing waste, and promoting access over ownership.
For instance, Urban Outfitters launched a clothing rental service called Nuuly which offers a wide variety of styles and brands, including Anthropologie, Free People, and Urban Outfitters. Customers can choose from a variety of rental options, including one-time rentals and monthly subscriptions.
Resale
This model involves the buying and selling of used clothing items which offers a unique selling proposition for businesses. Brands can not only reduce the environmental impact, but also gain an additional revenue stream, as well as reach new customers who may not be able to afford new clothing items.
The past few years have witnessed a slew of luxury brands touching resale in one way or another. For example, Gucci launched a resale platform called Gucci Equilibrium, which allows customers to buy and sell pre-owned Gucci products. Burberry and Stella McCartney launched a partnership with luxury resale platform The RealReal, while Prada launched a partnership with luxury consignment platform Vestiaire Collective. Besides, LVMH launched the first luxury deadstock resale platform Nova Source.
Get informed & inspire others!
There are many resources available for learning more about circular fashion.
Websites
Websites such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Circular Fashion, Global Fashion Agenda and Common Objective, etc. provide in-depth information on circular fashion and its principles.
Books
There are a number of books on circular fashion, including "Fashion and Sustainability: Design for Change" by Kate Fletcher and Lynda Grose, "Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes" by Dana Thomas and "Wardrobe Crisis: How We Went from Sunday Best to Fast Fashion" by Clare Press, etc. offer valuable insights into circular fashion.
Online Courses
Online courses such as "Fashion Sustainability: Design and Transformation" offered by Copenhagen Business School, "Circular Fashion: Design, Science and Value in a Sustainable Clothing Industry" offered by Wageningen University & Research, and "Circular Fashion: Getting Started" offered by Circular Fashion Academy, etc. provide in-depth information on circular fashion, its principles, and best practices.
