May 23, 2023
I received an email the other day from Rapanui, reminding me that I can return any old clothes I purchased from them for a discount on future purchases. It’s a great way to encourage circular behaviours and reduce waste. After buying a few tops from them a year or two ago, I had in all honesty completely forgotten that was the case. It got me thinking about why as a consumer behaviour it's still so far from being the norm, and indeed what really happens to our clothes once we’re done with them?
Every year britons buy around 1 million tonnes of clothing (1), and every year we produce around 700,000 tonnes of clothing waste (2).
Second hand market sales might be booming, driven by our rising cost of living. But some studies have estimated that only around 10% of unwanted clothing is actually recycled (3). At the same time around 30-35% (350k tonnes) is dumped into landfill every year (4).
Research by Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya found that every 1 kg of clothes that are reused or recycled could save up to 25kg of CO2 from upstream production (5). And that’s not to mention the wider environmental and human impacts of producing raw materials like cotton. So why aren't we seeing more recycling?
If you’ve ever been to a clothes donation bank, it might go some way to explaining why this is the case. As a customer it's a pretty bleak experience. My nearest one is a 15 minute drive away, in a dirty, far corner of the big Sainsbury’s carpark. Not that far in the grand scheme of things granted, but enough out of the way to make a dedicated trip a hassle, especially when its full to overflowing (as it usually is). The sticker on the side makes it clear they only want clean, intact garments, leaving the question of what to do with worn out, damanged clothes somewhat unanswered!
And while textiles make up at least 3% of household waste (6), the availability of kerbside collection is patchy and highly dependent on local services. In Essex for example, only half of local councils provide kerbside textile collections (7), with the rest directing residents to charity shops, clothing banks or the tip.
No wonder then, there are pervasive consumer expectations that only certain types or qualities of clothing can be recycled, and that generally it’s a hassle to do so (8).
And not surprising too that the average Briton is hoarding half a wardrobe of clothes they don't wear or have never worn (9).
As the climate crisis and economic pressures drive up the cost and scarcity of raw materials, and environmentally conscious consumers and a rising cost of living put pressure on retailers, it’s easy to see the challenges the industry will continue to face over the coming years.
So what can we do about it?
Brands will need to innovate and adapt if they are to thrive under these new pressures, and avoid the fates of the HMVs and Blockbusters of the past.
Some retailers are already doing great things, innovating with new models and propositions. Rapanu/Teemill offer store credit for every item returned, to be processed back into new textiles and garments. Nudie Jeans, while expensive, offer free lifetime repairs, potentially extending the life of a pair of jeans well beyond a cheaper alternative. SportsShoes have partnered with Evri to make returning old trainers much easier for customers.
To meet the challenges of future, we will need to evolve beyond commercial models that profit only from consumption and find sustainable ways to promote length of use and circularity instead.
And with relatively limited access to public collection and recycling infrastructure still a challenge in the UK, shifting consumer behaviour away from a single use mindset - and towards more circular thinking - will need to be driven and supported by brands and retailers.
What might that mean in practice?
References
