Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 25th April 2024 Issue no. 1111
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WRAP sees fashion as 'the next plastic' in customer perception
In May, WRAP, (Waste & Resources Action Programme) hosted a lively workshop with diverse stakeholders to explore whether the UK textiles sector might want a voluntary waste reduction agreement post 2020, and if so, what it could look like.
Attendees included signatories and supporters from the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan 2020, and representatives from the wider sector. Opportunities to mitigate the environmental impacts of clothing, home textiles and footwear - deemed to be 'the next plastic' were all discussed.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs offers grants for innovative textiles recycling in England, ranging from £200,000 to £1million. The Resource Action Fund, funded by DeFRA, is looking to support new ways of recycling textiles that go beyond current industry norm. Successful projects must have a measurable impact, and could provide new infrastructure and new technologies.
Peter Maddox, director of WRAP, took part in the Telegraph Responsible Fashion Forum, held in London. Peter joined Amy Jackson of the Better Cotton Initiative, and Tamsin Lejeune from Common Objective and the paper's senior fashion editor Charlie Gowans-Eglinton to discuss the theme of designing sustainable business models for the fashion industry. "It was a fascinating debate, looking across the supply chain at how sustainability and new business models should be imperatives for all businesses," reports Peter. In his address, he outlined how WRAP sees clothing becoming "the next plastic" in terms of public reaction to the environmental cost of clothing, and outlined the holistic approach SCAP 2020 follows.
He urged brands and retailers to think about how they can ensure fibres can be captured for recycling and reused in future products. He highlighted five key opportunities for creative change in the clothing industry through designing clothing made to last; selecting suitable fibres and fabrics; proactive consumer engagement; and reusing clothes and recycling clothes. There was also a lot of interest in the public resources WRAP offers for businesses, and the textiles grant under the Resource Action Fund.
If you are looking to engage consumers in sustainable behaviours and are interested in textiles and circularity, the European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP) is hosting a webinar to examine consumer behaviours across Europe, and share insights and learnings from the ECAP consumer behaviour change campaigns. It is taking place on 25th July, 11.00 -12.30 UK time.
You can register at:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aQmwUwuzSnOaEbFCDj-GzA
4th July 2019