From Sustainability to Circularity: Fashion’s evolutionary journey
2024, can be a defining year for us to lean into circularity, the call for decisive action resonates louder than ever.
What is circularity?
Circularity is now positioned as the defining thread when it comes to fashion, environment and beyond. A transformative approach wherein products, materials perpetually cycle through re-use, re-cycling, re-generation and beyond to stay in the loop, the ultimate goal being creating no waste.
But, how preciously is circularity different from sustainability?
Sustainability is still a linear business model and in a linear business model the end outcome is waste.
Waste can be in the form of landfills, depletion of resources and more.
Consider for instance, a product created from plastic bottles
Despite intentions to reduce environmental impact — A product made of plastic bottles is not circular as plastic depletes after 2–3 uses and in the end there exists no solution for it to blend with nature + it also releases microfibers which cause further cause for concern
Bottomline, It will sit as waste for more than 200 years depending on the type of plastic
But, circularity is not the same
In a circular economy we’re looking to exactly resolve this by providing a system based approach, looking at life cycle assessment, end of life and more.
In such a way that no waste exists.
For example clothes created out of waste of pineapple leather (without chemicals used it the process) can be resold, repaired and disintegrate towards the end of life
Yet, as underscored by the Circularity Gap Report of 2024, our global trajectory towards circularity remains embryonic, standing at our planet being only 7% circular with a downward spiral over the last years, our consumerism habits are to thank for this.
Textile industry is one of the major contributors to this shortfall in numbers.
Finally, it’s always up to us to take action in any way and form that we can.
So here we go sharing a few tips on how YOU can become part of the change today.
How can you start today?
1. Start viewing your things and possessions with a sense of love and care
2. Instil a new culture of repair in your home
3. Choose natural fibres over fossil fuels
4. Support businesses that are innovating in circularity
5. Keep reading my articles as I share more tips along the way