As we explore the path to a more sustainable future, it’s clear that fashion must be at the center of the circular economy conversation. As one of the biggest contributors to global pollution, fashion ranks second in terms of environmental impact, right behind the oil industry. This issue deserves significant attention, as the scale of fashion’s influence on the planet is massive. While it’s exciting to see progress being made within the industry, the way sustainability efforts are distributed between fashion and other sectors like tech, automotive, food, construction, or healthcare feels uneven.
In industries like food, beverages, skincare, and even media, manufacturers of packaging materials—paper, plastic, glass, and metal—benefit from government-supported recycling programs. These systems ensure that materials are recycled at scale, relieving individual companies from bearing the full responsibility of managing the entire process on their own. By contrast, fashion brands are often tasked with developing their own garment take-back programs, despite the fact that similar publicly funded infrastructure for textile recycling doesn’t exist in many countries.
Similarly, tech companies—which face growing concerns over electronic waste—are not fully responsible for the lifecycle of their products. In many places, governments have stepped in with national e-waste recycling programs, easing the burden on companies and consumers alike. This partnership between public and private sectors has been key to addressing the complexity of recycling electronics. Fashion could benefit from similar collaborations.In the automotive industry, which has been facing increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions and improve the sustainability of manufacturing processes, governments are supporting the transition by offering incentives for electric vehicles (EVs) and investing in EV charging infrastructure. These types of public investments help distribute responsibility and encourage businesses to innovate without overwhelming them with the financial burden of building the entire system themselves.
So why is fashion—an industry that produces goods on a massive scale—expected to manage its recycling processes without similar support? The good news is that we’re in a position to ask these questions and explore potential solutions. The conversation around circular fashion has already sparked incredible innovation, from bio-based fabrics to advanced recycling technologies. But as we look to scale these solutions, there’s a great opportunity for public and private sectors to collaborate, just as they’ve done in other industries, to ensure the fashion industry has the infrastructure and resources to close the loop on garment production and recycling.
What’s Next for Fashion?
The future of fashion’s sustainability journey doesn’t have to rest solely on the shoulders of brands. As we’ve seen in other sectors, when governments and businesses work together, meaningful progress can be made. By sharing the responsibility for creating a circular economy—where garments, like plastic bottles or cars, can be recycled and repurposed at scale—we can create a more sustainable system that benefits everyone, from small designers to global brands.