World Circular Textile Day: Promoting A More Sustainable Fashion Future

World Circular Textile Day is a day dedicated to highlighting the importance of innovative business models and sustainable materials in the fashion industry. We’ll explore the environmental benefits of circular fashion and delve into the ways in which you as an individual can actively contribute to a greener future.

What is Circular Fashion?

The term circular economy is a visionary concept, and has become something of a holy grail in sustainability efforts in recent years.

It stems from the idea of a circular economy. That refers to the reimagining of resources - how they’re extracted from the environment, and how they’re used. Making using resources a lot more efficient (maximising their efficiency) by creating products that are designed for longevity and create the least possible waste, adopting a circular economy could be one of the best ways to solve huge climate challenges.

Traditionally, our economy uses a linear system: Take, make, throw away. This has become outdated and unsustainable, especially with the rate that people are consuming constantly increasing.

Circular fashion effectively means embracing a circular economy within the fashion industry. That would look like creating durable clothes, repairing things instead of chucking them in the bin, and adopting more sustainable practices across the whole life of a product.

As circular fashion gains momentum, more and more companies are adopting sustainable practices. Because there’s an increasing demand for sustainable materials and processes, we can explore innovation, and the costs of being more sustainable are getting lower.

Basically, the more of us that get behind it and embrace it, the more attainable a solution it actually becomes on a wider scale. Plus the more impact it has.

What is World Circular textiles day?

World Circular Textiles Day happens every year on the 8th of October and is a global celebration of the people and companies that are building a circular textiles future. It also acts as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for change within the fashion and textile industry to combat climate change.

The day is dedicated to raising awareness about the environmental impact and social challenges that a non-circular textile industry is creating, and highlighting the potential for positive transformation by embracing circular and sustainable practices.

World Circular Textiles Day acts as a platform for brands, organisations and individuals to come together and show their commitment to making a positive impact, and educate others about the benefits of a circular approach to textiles.

You can watch the 2023 World Circular Textile Day Livestream here.

What are the environmental benefits of a circular fashion industry?

The fashion industry is notorious for its impact on the environment, and is responsible for as much as 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Mountains of discarded textiles are piling up annually all over the globe (the size of actual mountains). Circular fashion offers a beacon of light amidst the mass of waste - the revolutionary concept promises to transform the industry into one where sustainability reigns supreme. And we’re here to drive that change.

At Reskinned we believe that circularity is the most important factor in creating a sustainable fashion future. By building systems for the brands we love to become more circular, we’re making it possible for all of us to embrace a world where nothing gets thrown away.

In a nutshell, circular fashion is all about reinventing the design, production and consumption processes for clothing to minimise waste, maximise resources and extend the lifespan of garments. 

Here are some of the main environmental benefits we’ll experience by embracing fashion circularity:

Reduced waste and pollution

Circular fashion pioneers designing innovatively. Repair services, and recycling initiatives keep clothes in use for as long as possible. That translates to a drastic reduction in textile waste ending up in landfills. Here at Reskinned we operate a 0 to landfill policy. We don’t believe that any textiles should end up in the bin, which means everything that we receive through our doors is either rehomed or recycled. 

Circular fashion also champions eco-friendly finishes and dyes, meaning less pollution in our waterways and ecosystems.

Conservation of natural resources

Creating new garments at the scale we currently do means using significant water and energy resources. By extending the life of existing clothes and utilising recycled materials in the manufacturing process, we can reduce the need for new production. 

Decreased carbon footprint

Greenhouse gases are emitted during manufacturing clothes, and the transportation between factories and customers. Encouraging the conscious use of renewable energy - aka solar or wind power, will make an even bigger impact. 

Support for biodiversity and ecosystem health

Producing cotton and synthetic fibres (which come from petroleum) are resource intensive and can be damaging to natural habitats and ecosystems. Embracing circular fashion on a global scale would allow us to reduce the demand for these materials as we swap to recycled and sustainable fabrics instead. 

Microplastic pollution will also be reduced. Currently it’s causing a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems, so by embracing circularity, the fashion industry can become a powerful ally in the mission to create a greener future.

Why Should You Embrace Circular Fashion?

It can be tempting to think that our individual impact won’t make enough difference to be worth the hassle. And while this is true to some degree - the big change will come when more brands, businesses and governments embrace circularity -  we can be the driving force to get them to switch it up.

By taking part in the circular fashion economy, you can make sure clothes last longer, and on top of that, actually save yourself money.

It’s all about extending the life cycle of something, by repairing and reselling the clothes you aren’t wearing any more. 

How You Can Help Drive the Circular Fashion Movement

Embracing circular fashion is not just for brands and the government, it’s something we can all get behind and take part in with the decisions we make every single day. Here are a few of the ways:

• Care for your clothes. Look after them, wash them carefully and
• Repair things. If you’ve got a piece of clothing you love to wear, but it’s not wearable because it’s got a small rip, a missing button or a stain? Use your creativity to work some magic (or take them to your local tailor if you doubt your own skills).
• Buy things secondhand. Choosing to shop for pre-loved clothes instead of buying something brand new is the best way to make sure no new resources are used, and the old ones go to good use and not in the bin.
• Use a takeback platform. Yes, one like ours works. Find a place where you can get rid of the old things you no longer wear. And choose one like Reskinned, where you know that everything is reused, not just the “good” stuff.

You might have noticed that quite a lot of the ways to take part in the circular fashion movement are ones you can do with us. That’s no coincidence. We’re a platform set up to make it as simple as possible to get involved. So whether that’s by buying your next pair of jeans pre-loved, or donating your old pairs via a takeback scheme, you can be sure you’re being as circular as possible.

How Reskinned Contributes to Circular Fashion

We’re more than just a resale platform, and the reason we’re so passionate about World Circular Textile day is that we’re dedicated to textile circularity 365 days a year.

Our mission is to extend the lifecycle of clothes, shoes and accessories through or takeback programmes, rehoming pre-loved clothes and working with the brands that share our vision for a circular fashion future.

We prioritise reuse over recycling, meaning that if something can be worn again, it will be. We only send clothes to recycling at the very end of their life cycle, think falling apart at the seams. When they get to that point, they’ve done their service as clothes, and are ready to be transformed into a material again, and start their journey as something new.

We’re always investing in emerging technologies and experimenting with new processes to find the best ways to make fashion more circular. Using a mix of mechanical and chemical recycling means we can tackle even the most challenging fabrics, and turn them into something new.

The Future of Circular Fashion: Innovation and Expansion

Circular fashion is ever evolving, and right now we’re only scratching the surface of everything that’s possible. Chemical recycling, innovative fabric blends and closed loop systems are rapidly transforming the fashion industry’s approach to sustainability. We’re committed to being at the forefront of these changes, working in collaboration with industry leaders and researchers to make the biggest impact possible.

In the next few years we’re anticipating circular fashion becoming even more popular in the mainstream, and technologies making the process a lot smoother.

Platforms like Reskinned make it easy to do the right thing. We accept takebacks for some brilliant brands (and the list is always growing) and resell pre-loved clothes, shoes and accessories, keeping them in circulation for as long as possible. Check out our clothing takeback partners out if you have clothes to get rid of - we’ll make sure they’re put to good use, and give you a voucher to say thank you.

Ultimately, it all starts with our purchasing decisions. If we choose brands and companies that are supporting circularity, or choose to buy pre-loved instead of new, we’re choosing to actively embrace the circular economy and make a positive difference in creating a sustainable fashion future. 

The FAQ’s on World Circular Textile Day

What is World Circular Textile Day?
World Circular Textile Day is an annual event that promotes awareness of circularity in the textile industry. The day encourages brands, designers, and shoppers to take notice of, and embrace sustainable practices like recycling, upcycling, and reducing textile waste, in order to create a more circular fashion economy.

Why is Circularity Important in the Textile Industry?
Circularity in the textile industry is crucial because it helps reduce environmental impact by keeping textiles in use for longer. In turn it minimises waste, conserves valuable resources like water and energy, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Business models built on circularity are far more sustainable.

How Can I Get Involved in World Circular Textile Day?
You can participate in World Circular Textile Day in a few different ways. Here’s a good place to start.

• Supporting brands that prioritise circular fashion.
• Donating or recycling your old clothes and textiles.
• Sharing information about the importance of sustainable fashion on social media, and with your friends, family and peers.
• Joining local or virtual events focused on textile circularity.

What Role Do Brands Play in Circular Textile Practices?
Brands play a key role by designing products that are durable, repairable, and recyclable. They can also implement takeback programs, promote upcycling initiatives, and adopt circular business models such as resale or clothing rental services.

How Does Circular Fashion Contribute to Reducing Textile Waste?
Circular fashion reduces textile waste by reusing all garments, and then reusing, recycling or repurposing the materials to divert them from winding up in landfills. It closes the loop, which means that the materials used originally are continuously cycled through the system rather than discarded after use.

What Are Some Examples of Circular Textiles?
If you want to know what to look out for when it comes to finding circular textiles, then things like recycled fabrics, biodegradable fibres and textiles that are designed to be disassembled are all a good place to start. You can find clothes made from post-consumer waste (like upcycled vintage pieces too.