Rachel Sheila Kan

I've recently been obsessing over the textile industry and the crossroads I believe it finds itself at. For decades, the linear "take, make, dispose" model has dominated, leaving a trail of waste, pollution, and unsustainable practices. Yes, prices go down, but quality also follows in the same direction. I have found myself looking for brands who design and make products with materials that are reused or repurposed —where waste becomes a valuable resource and every product has a life beyond first use. This isn’t a pipedream; it’s a tangible reality that innovative brands and forward-thinking designers are already embracing. Why does this matter? 🗑️ Waste Reduction: The average person discards double digit kilograms of clothing annually. By extending the life of garments through repair and resale, we can drastically reduce this burden (I'm not a huge fan of recycling despite it's minor improvement in landfill but that's for another day). 💡 Resource Efficiency: Producing new textiles consumes vast amounts of water, energy, and raw materials. Reuse/repurpose models reduce the need for virgin resources. 🛒 Consumer Demand: I believe we can change shopper mentality to want more than just style—to demand responsibility in their clothes and win loyalty by offering products with purpose. How can we drive this change? 1. Design for Longevity: Textiles that last longer and are easy to repair. 2. Closed-Loop Systems: Take-back programs that give materials a second life. 3. Collaboration: Partnerships across the supply chain to innovate and share responsibility for better practices. A classic example (who are sadly having to move some manufacturing offshore) is Barbour who offer re-waxing & repaor services across all of their wax coat products. Coats are designed to be repaired as new. This approach doesn’t just solve problems; it redefines how we think about production and consumption. Not only this but it has given rise to local businesses such as Oily Jack - https://oilyjack.co.uk/ supporting local economies and creating jobs. As we push toward a better future, circular economy in textiles has to be the way forward. Businesses that fail to adapt risk being left behind. Let’s make fashion not just beautiful, but responsible. What are your thoughts ? Are we doing enough to close the loop, or is there more we can do? Share your ideas below! 👇 #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #TextileInnovation #FashionForFuture #ThinkCircular

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**Building a Sustainable Future: Insights from CFIN's Interim Report** The Circular Fashion Innovation Network (CFIN) has made significant strides in developing a sustainable fashion ecosystem in the UK. Their recent interim report outlines both the achievements and obstacles faced in this ambitious journey. CFIN's collaborative approach, involving various stakeholders from across the fashion industry, emphasizes the urgency and necessity of sustainable practices today. As the report highlights, while progress is being made, there are still substantial challenges that need to be addressed. These include technological advancements, consumer awareness, and policy-making efforts aimed at fostering a circular economy. CFIN's commitment to tackling these issues head-on serves as both an inspiring call to action and a reminder of the work still to be done. The time to act is indeed now. It’s crucial for industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to come together and collaborate towards a future where fashion is both innovative and environmentally sustainable. What do you believe is the biggest barrier to achieving a truly circular fashion industry? #CircularFashion #SustainableFuture #Innovation #EcoFriendly #FashionIndustry #Collaboration

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👕 Update for the UK fashion and textiles sector... A new industry-backed white paper is calling on the Government to introduce variable Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees to drive sustainability in the industry. What you need to know 👇 • The UK fashion industry contributes £62 billion to the economy but also produces 336k TONNES of clothing waste each year. • The white paper proposes variable EPR fees to shift the burden of textile waste management from communities and the environment to producers. • Circular fee models could encourage sustainable design, repair, and reuse, while generating funding for circular activities. The next phase will be led by WEFT, a new independent company focused on driving this change. What do you think? Is this the correct approach 💬 _____ ➕ Follow Abbie Morris for posts about sustainability, policy, and startups. 📧 Drop me a DM if you want to learn more about tackling the mountain of sustainability regulation facing the retail industry.

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77 per cent of the British public would support targets to increase clothing reuse, according to new polling commissioned by the Green Alliance for its ‘Changing fashion: what people want from a greener clothing industry’ report. 🎯🏷️ Released today for #EarthDay2024, the report delves into the rapidly evolving reuse landscape in the UK and public receptivity to secondhand goods. It builds on previous research from WRAP, which found that 54% of the public are happy to purchase secondhand or vintage clothing, with cost being their primary motivator. WRAP’s Textiles Delivery Manager, Kathryn Tims, and Lead Analyst, Sarah Gray, were among the experts who contributed their insights to the report. Kathryn emphasized, “Reuse is on the rise in the UK, which is great news for the planet, businesses, and people’s pockets. “Positioned prominently in the waste hierarchy, reuse will be crucial in helping us achieve our Textiles 2030 targets, promising a 6% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and an 8% decrease in water usage. Resale also makes commercial sense, as revealed in the report, with secondhand clothing fetching up to 55 per cent of its initial recommended retail price in some instances. "This year, through our Textiles 2030 Circular Business Models Working Group, we’re primed to build on these insights and those gained through our Circular Business Models Guide by collaborating with our members to bolster our collective understanding of the economic benefits of resale in order to initiate resale pilots.” 📚 You can read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e5AVJsFW 🤝 If your business could benefit from being a part of our Circular Business Models Working Group, enquire about Textiles 2030 here: https://lnkd.in/ekEhMBdM

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Every second, the equivalent of a rubbish truck of textiles is buried or burned, and 30% of the UK’s unwanted clothes end up in landfill. That’s around one billion garments. To tackle this issue, our friends at Traid have launched their Closet Clear Out Challenge. This September, Traid invites you to join Traid’s Closet Clear-out Challenge. All you need to do is Pick - Click - Collect. Pick your clothes, click to donate, and let Traid collect. Three simple steps to fund good causes and influence change in the fashion industry. Find out more and click to donate👉 https://lnkd.in/esx8bWTu #Traid #ClosetClearOut #PickClickCollect

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NEW REPORT: Mandatory EPR Needed for a Circular Textile Economy The Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is calling for a global shift towards a circular economy for textiles, and their new report argues that mandatory, fee-based Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a key driver. Why is EPR Needed? Currently, over 80% of textiles end up incinerated, landfilled or polluting the environment. A linear economic system is failing textiles, and EPR can help transition to a circular one. What are the Benefits of EPR? The report highlights several benefits of mandatory EPR: Funding dedicated textile collection: EPR can ensure there's enough funding to create and maintain separate collection systems for textiles. Focus beyond just recycling: EPR should incentivize reducing consumption of textiles and designing higher quality, longer-lasting clothing. Transparency and traceability: EPR can improve tracking of textiles throughout the lifecycle. Investment in infrastructure: A well-designed EPR scheme can attract investment in new technologies for textile reuse and recycling. This report is a compelling call to action for policymakers and industry leaders. Transitioning to a circular textile economy requires a systemic change, and EPR is a critical tool to achieve this. Learn more and read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/g33dSYF5

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♻️ The Future of Denim: Indigo Recycling for a Sustainable UK Fashion Industry 👖 Did you know that producing a single pair of jeans can require up to 7,000 liters of water and uses significant amounts of toxic chemicals for dyeing? 🌍💧 Indigo recycling is emerging as a powerful solution to these environmental challenges. By reclaiming and reusing indigo dye from discarded denim, we can drastically reduce the need for new raw materials, cut down on chemical waste, and save vast amounts of water. 🌿💙 Recent research shows that the denim industry is moving toward circularity: A study by the Ellen MacArthur foundation that adopting circular economy principles in fashion, including recycling dyes like indigo, could cut global textile waste by up to 50%. Advances in chemical and mechanical processes now allow for more efficient extraction and reuse of indigo dye, reducing the environmental impact by up to 90% compared to conventional dyeing methods. Leading brands like Levis’Store and G-Star Raw C.V. are already adopting indigo recycling, proving that it's both commercially viable and eco-friendly. The UK is at the forefront of this movement, with sustainable fashion brands and textile manufacturers investing in new technologies and practices to make indigo recycling a key part of their supply chains. As we continue to push for a greener fashion industry, indigo recycling offers a scalable, impactful solution for reducing waste and conserving resources. Let’s support innovation and push for a truly circular future for denim! 🌱 #IndigoRecycling #SustainableFashion #CircularEconomy #DenimRevolution #UKFashion

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If you work on textile you should already know that fashion is polluting our blood and our rivers. We need forceful laws to stop selling synthetic clothing ( first and second hand) . Emily Macintosh, from the European Environmental Bureau , will be in this webinar , we can talk with her about the current laws that are not protecting us neither our ecosystem. We know about microplastic from 2011 and we need to ask her for laws that reward plastic-free brands and penalize plastic brand that have been encouraging overproduction with taxes to pay the ecological debt. We need a new directive for labelling with ALL fibers and materials included, warning about microplastics instead of QR with biased and incomplete environmental and social information. Fashion’s Plastic Paralysis: How Brands Worsen Microplastic Pollution. In it, we’ll discuss the environmental and health risks posed by the fashion industry’s reliance on synthetic, fossil-fuel-based textiles. This one-hour session on 16th October will illuminate critical insights from our latest report, Fashion's Plastic Paralysis, and discuss solutions for driving meaningful change in the fashion sector. Urska Trunk, Senior Campaigner at Changing Markets Foundation, will reveal findings from our Fashion’s Plastic Paralysis report, highlighting major brands’ continued use of synthetic fibres. Professor Barbro Melgert, from the University of Groningen, will address how synthetic fibres enter the human body and their health implications. Emily Macintosh, from the European Environmental Bureau, will discuss regulatory gaps and offer actionable solutions for lawmakers.

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🔍 New research from climate action NGO Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has revealed almost half (49%) of used textiles are going in the bin, as it urges stakeholders to step up efforts toward a circular fashion ecosystem. According to the latest findings, the UK's secondhand clothing market faces a critical challenge amidst the ongoing addiction to fast fashion. Despite the growing trend towards sustainability, a significant portion of used textiles still ends up in landfills. 🌱💡 This underscores the urgent need for a shift towards sustainable fashion practices. As consumers become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their clothing choices, there's a growing opportunity for brands to embrace circular fashion and promote a more sustainable future. 💚👗 At Bandi, we're passionate about keeping clothes out of landfills. Just because you don't want your clothes doesn't mean someone else isn't looking for that exact item! It's time to invest in circular companies and join us in creating a more sustainable fashion ecosystem. Download and try Bandi today! #CircularFashion #SustainableFashion #FashionRevolution #Bandi https://lnkd.in/d6HvNTmm

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Some reflections on the recent situation of textile recycling industry... I hear similar stories in different countries and worry about places, clusters and ecosystems that have invested much in developing these relationships and technologies and supply chains. On the one hand, recycling shouldn't be the only solution and on the other we should watch over and ensure the niche innovations to flourish around recycling too. This surely will need to be balancing act! #tensions #circulareconomy #textile #recycling

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🌍 Did you know that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global CO₂ emissions? In the UK alone, one million tonnes of textiles are disposed of every year, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable practices and greater transparency in the fashion industry. Watch our Textile Transparency fireside chat with Dania S., Senior Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) at EY, and Jodie Leek, Head of ESG - Partner Brands at ASOS.com, as they share insights into the critical role of transparency in driving sustainability and accountability in the fashion industry. 💡 Learn how aligning with global transparency standards, building consumer trust through transparent supply chains, and preparing for future regulatory requirements can help your business succeed while fostering a more sustainable future. Explore the Business Sector Exchange Programme in more detail here: https://lnkd.in/e-Fm5KGt #Sustainability #Transparency #FashionIndustry #BusinessSuccess #Regulations

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This speaks in spades… excuse the pun. We need more companies #reshoring like #JohnSmedley who’s commitment manufacturing in the UK understanding the demand for Made In The UK as written in #VogueBusiness. A great sustainable practice is not sending our products all around the world to line our back pockets. There always is another way. #SustainablePractice #Sustainability #FashionDesign #SustainableDevelopment #Innovation

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One of the biggest challenges I noticed working with Indian brands, looking to enter the European market, was the lack of understanding around the ESG guidelines recommended by the European Union. The European Union's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is set to revolutionize market standards by emphasizing transparency, stakeholder involvement, and stringent ecodesign requirements for products. With its focus on reducing environmental impact, introducing Digital Product Passports, and preventing the destruction of unsold goods, compliance can be complex. I am currently developing my ESG services that will guide brands (especially brands from my homeland 🇮🇳) through these regulations, ensuring imported products meet EU standards, thus facilitating a smooth market entry. If you are brand or designer who is looking to enter the European market, from India or any other non-EU country and work in fashion/textile, DM or comment below. I would love to know what you are struggling with and ensure those topics are covered in my service offerings. #EUsustainability #DigitalProductPassport #ESG

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What does fashion look like in 2054? I was thrilled to attend a talk with WRAP and was left energised and encouraged by the movements towards…in the last year of Increased use of recycled fibres Improved textiles in general - moving towards BCI cotton and recycled polyester Growth of resale Promotion of repair most notably led by M&S More take back schemes and growth of old clothing volume being collected within the UK Commercial launches of rental Focus on durability of garments and indeed emotional durability Here at Neem London we have a take back scheme, offer rental and use more than 50% recycled cotton in our overshirts and cotton traceable to farm I was also disheartened by the fact that (even including population growth) volumes sold in the UK continue to grow, we are simply buying more stuff! My sense is we have to create a clear picture of how fashion looks in 2054, think about how fashion looked in 1994, remember that. How does fashion look to you in 2054 Rental 10% market share? Online 50% of total demand (currently 27%)? Mechanical or chemical recyclers built in the UK so less clothing exported - we currently generate 1.5 million tonnes per year of which 49% ends in landfill Material science breakthroughs? 3D printing leading to an explosion of one off bespoke items? Resale 35% market share? Digital product passports that show a complete picture of the product brought alive in your eyes. We know the carbon, water and durability impact of each garment Unless we build a picture we will only crawl, the vision will unlock funding which will lead private enterprise realising the picture. Legislation although useful, is a dangerous tool as it may lead to unnecessary bureaucratic intervention. Tell me how does fashion look in 2054? Please build a picture. https://lnkd.in/exVqrw-t

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Every thread has a story. Explore the journey of discarded textiles with ELT Global as we embrace sustainability practices, from collection to reuse, and pave the way for a more eco-conscious textile industry. [elt global, textile industry, textile reusing, sustainability, textile resue in UK]

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Post election, will the EU get a grip on clothing waste to stop it ending up in places like this? Or will the changes in the EU parliament derail plans to get producers to pay for the end-of-life management of textiles? Sophie Benson delved into this complex topic for Atmos Magazine, happy to have contributed alongside insights from Emily Macintosh, Lars Fogh Mortensen, Elizabeth (Liz) Ricketts, Maria Luisa Martinez Diez 📝 While textiles has the highest climate and environment impact after food, mobility and housing, it's nowhere near as regulated even though these other sectors have been for years. 👹 EPR has widespread support from MEPs and others, but the devil is in the details and opinions are conflicted - waste prevention targets have been omited for example, and corporate capture might allow polluting brands to write the rules. 💰 The textiles system is global and any policy response has to recognise this. Not only in the importance of harmonising policy across a diverse set of EU member states, but also in recognising the crucial position countries in the Global South currently play in processing used clothing - and being saddled with vast quanities of waste. Some suggest that proposed EPR fees are not nearly enough to account for this, and must also be paid to those countries dealing with the lion's share of the problem. 🇪🇺 Do the recent results matter? A larger pro-industrial, right-wing influence in the European Parliament could make introducing ambitious new green policies much more difficult. However, EPR and the Waste Framework Directive are already underway, and it would be contraversial for them to be derailed at this stage. ✅ My assessment is that given the broad support of MEPs in earlier voting rounds, and the fact that although there has been a swing to the right the centre has been resilient, we can still count on parliament to get behind this. Whether we see the necessary amendments to make the policy as effective as it can be is another question. #sustainablefashion #policy #EUelections https://lnkd.in/eqY2-ysZ

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A new report from the Green Alliance think tank is calling on the UK government to take decisive action by prohibiting the destruction of unused clothing and implementing a robust extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for textiles. Titled 'Changing fashion: what people want from a greener clothing industry', the report delves into the current state of reuse within the UK's fashion sector and underscores the necessity for government intervention. The UK government needs to incentivize manufacturers and retailers to adopt more sustainable practices throughout the textile supply chain. This proactive approach aligns with public sentiment and demonstrates a commitment to addressing the environmental impacts of the fashion industry. It is imperative for policymakers to heed these recommendations and enact meaningful reforms to create a more sustainable and circular economy for textiles in the UK. #sustainability #earth #zerowaste #environment #sdgs #brisbane #savetheplanet #gogreen #plasticfree #planetearth #ecology #renewableenergy #environmentallyfriendly #climateaction #plastic #climate #protect #cleanenergy #noplastic #globalwarming #greenenergy #climatecrisis #COP26 #unep #agenda2030 #sustainabilitymatters #co2 #plasticpollution #waste

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