Public awareness of the environmental cost of clothes hit the United Kingdom during lockdown and UK businesses need to act, according to charitable organisation Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which recently said more than half of UK citizens now view the environmental impact of clothing as severe, with two in three saying clothes made to look good and last longer are now factors in the brands and clothing they choose.
WRAP has cautioned major clothing retailers and brands that they must clearly demonstrate their commitment to making sustainable longer-lasting clothes, or risk losing sales., according to a press release from the organisation.Public awareness of the environmental cost of clothes hit the UK during lockdown and businesses need to act, said the Waste and Resources Action Programme. It said more than half of UK citizens view such impact of clothing as severe, with two in three saying clothes made to look good and last longer are now factors in the brands and clothing they choose.#
The findings build on earlier WRAP research which found that the public wants inventive new retail options that prolong the life of clothes, including voucher schemes for clothing exchanges (46%), and pre-loved clothes (41%) - particularly popular among younger and ‘high frequency’ (weekly) clothes shoppers. Our personal habits have changed too during lockdown, with one in four (23%) now repairing clothes, and one in five (19%) keeping items for longer.
Businesses are responding to public demand for clothes with lighter environmental footprints, with major brands and retailers that have signed the voluntary Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP) 2020 agreement exceeding both the carbon and water targets.
But, many more are not, and those wanting to protect their market share must demonstrate to shoppers and shareholders their commitment to the environment, and sign up to Textiles 2030, said WRAP.
Textiles 2030 will be the most ambitious national voluntary agreement for clothing and other textiles in the world. The ten-year programme aims to transform UK clothing and home fabrics to reduce their impact on climate change.
It will take the UK from a make-use-dispose culture to a circular one where goods are produced sustainably, used longer, and then re-used or recycled into new products. Central is the Target-Measure-Act approach, which requires clothing and textile businesses to set targets, measure their impact and track progress on both an individual business basis, and towards national targets and public reporting, the press release added.
In this way, Textiles 2030 will reduce lifecycle GHG emissions in line with the global goal of a 1.5°C trajectory, cut the water footprint of products and deliver a UK-wide circular textiles road map.
The British Fashion Council, British Heart Foundation, The British Retail Consortium, Cancer Research UK, Charity Retail Association, CTR Group, Institute of Positive Fashion, John Lewis & Partners, Next, Oxfam, Primark, Recyclatex, Re-Fashion, Sainsbury’s, Salvation Army Trading Company, SOEX UK, Suez, Ted Baker, Textiles Recycling Association and Tesco are the first to sign up to Textiles 2030, ahead of its official launch in April 2021.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "UBM China (Shanghai)")
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
