Imagine that in ten years from now, we will only lend, lease and swap our clothes. Or maybe we will grow new textile materials in our own garden?
is it possible? What would materials look smell or feel like?
the transition to a circular fashion industry shows two curves: the line that starts above represents the current ’old’ system. The fashion industry as we know it today with its linear supply chains of take, make, use and dispose. The other line represents the system that we’re developing as we speak: the one that is circular and brings waste back as a resource.the lines cross each other: that is where the old system will break down and will start making place for the new.
At the moment efforts mainly go to optimalization, which means that we’re trying to ’fix’ the flaws in the current system. One example is the creation of a range of different certification labels to monitor fair labour practices and environmental standards in textiles. Taking responsibility like that is important, but the variety of labels often end up confusing the consumer and they don’t really address fundamental systems change.
What we see is that some entrepreneurs establish sustainable fashion brands and develop more transparent and fair supply chains.This is wonderful, but it also brings ever more clothing to the market: clothing that will be sold, worn and then needs to be discarded. And we really already have enough clothes in the world and don’t need more new clothes to be produced. Therefore, it is great to see that innovators are experimenting with new business models to extend the use phase of clothing. An example is the Dutch denim brand Mud Jeans that initiated the concept of ’Lease a jeans’. My dress is from a clothing library where you can borrow clothing just like borrowing books in a regular library. Ownership of clothing is becoming less important, swapping and lending are the new ways of continuously reviving your wardrobe without having to spend a fortune.
New business models to extend the user phase and technologies that recycle textiles are crucial for the transition to a circular fashion industry, but they don’t address fundamental systems change. Because why do we have so much textile waste that then needs to be recycled? Would it not be possible to create clothes in such a was that we produce less waste? For example by deriving inspiration from nature?
for example an autumn forest: the falling leaves are not leading to pollution of the soil, but are nourishing that very soil. What can we learn from nature and biomimicry in order to transition to a circular fashion system? Pioneers are taking this question to heart and they're experimenting with developing new, bio-based materials such as this prototype purse made of mycelium the jewelery item made from banana leaves and this bracelet made from fish skin. These new material ‘categories’ often have anti-bacterial properties and are biodegradable so won’t add to the textile waste mountain. It is crucial that such innovations are further developed with scientific research and impact investments.
‘When will I see such materials in a real store?’ H&M has already launched a conscious exclusive collection in 2019 showcasing a jacket with silver coated pinatex, a leather-like material crafted from pineapple
The question is if we, as ‘users’ of fashion, want this: do we want to wear algae shirts in the future? We see that user behaviour is culturally deeply anchored and that circularity is really not only about material streams, but about our values and the way in which we value or revalue goods and services. In our society, the focus is mainly on economic value, which is the amount a user is willing to pay for a good. Clothes, just like most products and services, can and should be valued in multiple ways, beyond only the economic. For example, when your T-shirt is produced by someone who has received a fair wage, it has created social value in the process. if it is made of organic cotton, then it also captures environmental value.We should also take into account the value of comfort Of how a fabric wears on the skin as well as the aesthetic appeal of a garment And maybe your jacket used to belong to your grandfather and thus carries a certain emotional value? So in order to be able to move beyond only a focus on economic value and include other types of value, we need a different mindset. then we arrive at the question: what is necessary on a personal level? You need to ask yourself what you find important, what has value for you?
In summary, we have seen that there is the need to break down the old system and to nurture the new. What is mainly important, is out of the box thinking and a radically different approach to which everyone can contribute. Innovating and experimenting are crucial to make the transition to a new fashion system,
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