Why Circularity is the need of the hour ?
Parvinder Singh
Founder @ Global Alliance For Textile Sustainability Council | Driving Circularity | Sustainability | Entrepreneurship
Welcome everyone to our weekly article, where we address one significant problem faced by people and the planet, explore the challenges, propose probable solutions, and highlight what we are doing about it ? This week, we delve into the critical topic: Why circularity is the need of the hour in the fashion industry?
Why Circularity is the Need of the Hour in the Fashion Industry?
In an era marked by the dire consequences of climate change and resource depletion, and the struggle to meet 1.5-degree targets, the concept of circularity has emerged as a beacon of hope. Circularity, the antithesis of the traditional linear economy, champions the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling materials to create a closed-loop system. This approach minimizes waste and maximizes the lifecycle of resources, ensuring that products and materials retain their value for as long as possible. We are exploiting the Earth’s resources at an unprecedented speed, and Earth is not able to reproduce them fast enough to match our consumption.
What is Circularity?
Circularity is a systemic shift that designs out waste and pollution, keeps products and materials in use, and regenerates natural systems. Unlike the take-make-waste model of a linear economy, circularity promotes a restorative and regenerative approach, inspired by nature's own cycles where nothing goes to waste. In natural ecosystems, everything is reused and repurposed, creating a sustainable balance. This principle can be observed in the water cycle, nutrient cycles in forests, and the life cycle of plants and animals, all of which function seamlessly without generating waste. In a nutshell, every resource comes from the earth, and after its product journey, how it can go back to earth and what the footprint of this journey is defines circularity.
Circularity in Fashion
Raw materials are the most prominent inputs in the fashion industry, with cotton and polyester being the two primary fibers. The growth of cotton production is 2-3% annually, but this comes at the cost of a 6-7% increase in crop area, often requiring deforestation. Polyester, a byproduct of the petroleum industry, is limited in resources, with projections indicating only 30-40 years of availability. Rpet (recycled PET), currently popular in the industry, presents a problem as it can be recycled only once, and its footprint is greater than that of cotton. Therefore, the fashion industry is facing a severe raw materials crunch if immediate steps are not taken.
Circular fashion involves designing and producing clothes in a way that allows them to be reused, recycled, or upcycled, thereby extending their lifecycle and reducing the need for new raw materials. This approach includes using sustainable materials, implementing recycling programs, and innovating with technologies that enable clothes to be easily disassembled and repurposed.
Challenges Faced by the Fashion Industry
Despite the promising potential of circularity, the fashion industry faces several significant challenges:
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What is Needed?
To overcome these challenges, a multifaceted approach is required:
What We Are Doing?
Our Efforts at Aadi Sustainability Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
At ASSPL, we are driving circularity in the fashion industry. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in our innovative practices:
Conclusion
Circularity is not just an option; it is an imperative for a sustainable future. By adopting circular practices, the fashion industry can significantly reduce its environmental impact and create a more sustainable and equitable world. Fashion brands need to look to collaborate with recyclers who have mastered the art of recycling. Mechanical recycling is a tricky business, and Panipat is the largest and most evolved hub for textiles recycling. The Global Alliance For Textile Sustainability Council is at the forefront of this change, creating a bridge between the textiles recycling industry and fashion brands.
At ASSPL, we are proud to lead the way in this transformative journey, demonstrating that a circular fashion industry is not only possible but also profitable and impactful.
Founder @ Global Alliance For Textile Sustainability Council | Driving Circularity | Sustainability | Entrepreneurship
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Founder @ Global Alliance For Textile Sustainability Council | Driving Circularity | Sustainability | Entrepreneurship
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