Consumers are now highly conscious of the need to shift from traditional business models to those that prioritize sustainability. In fact, 67% consider sustainable materials a critical factor when choosing a fashion brand.
Given the environmental toll of fast fashion and the rising demand for ethical practices, adopting a sustainable approach is essential for any fashion business.
In this article, TLD Apparel will explore the fundamentals of circular fashion and providing steps for brands to enhance their sustainability practices today.
What Is Circular Fashion?
Circular fashion is a system that considers both the production process and its end-of-life, aiming to eliminate waste by designing products to be reused, repaired, biodegradable, or recyclable. For businesses approaching circular fashion, it’s necessary to understand the origins, materials, and manufacturers to make sure your business aligns with circular fashion principles.
This means carefully choosing suppliers and production methods that support eco-friendly practices, such as using organic, biodegradable, or recycled materials. It also involves fostering transparency across the supply chain, so both the company and consumers can trace the origins and impact of each product.
How Circular Fashion Is Different Than Linear Fashion
The traditional model for fashion apparel is to take resources, make products that will yield immediate profit, and dispose of those items after use. This model doesn’t consider environmental impact and is both resource-intensive and wasteful. Fast fashion, driven by the rapid production of low-cost, trendy clothing, makes the problem even worse, encouraging overconsumption and short product lifespans.
Circular fashion, on the other hand, focuses on extending the life of fashion garments through reuse, and recycling. It minimizes waste and keeps products in use for as long as possible. Thrift stores and thrifting are key elements in this cycle, encouraging consumers to buy and sell secondhand clothing to divert it from landfills.
What Are The Benefits Of Circular Fashion?
Adopting a circular fashion model offers numerous appealing benefits that go far beyond just staying on trend. In this section, we’ll outline the key reasons to consider when shifting towards a more eco-conscious approach to running a fashion business.
Waste reduction
Nearly 100 million tons of textile waste are generated annually, with this number expected to rise by around 60% over the next seven years, prompting brands to find effective ways to cut waste.
Circular fashion addresses waste at every stage of the fashion lifecycle, promoting responsible production, recycling, and upcycling of materials, while extending garment life through reuse and repair.
Resource conservation
The circular fashion model helps maximize resource value, reducing the need for raw materials and promoting conservation. This approach leads to decreased use of natural resources such as energy, water, and cotton, allowing the environment a chance to recover.
The best part is that you can operate your fashion business while lessening the impact on natural ecosystems, helping protect them from the strain of resource extraction.
Long-term cost savings
Every business aims to maximize profit, and one of the standout advantages of the circular fashion model is that, while it may require initial investments, it ultimately offers substantial long-term cost savings.
Through recycling, repairing, and reusing, you create a closed-loop production system, reducing expenses associated with raw material extraction, transportation, and waste management. Hence, circular fashion helps lower operational costs, contributing to lasting financial resilience.
How To Build A Sustainable Fashion Business
As the fashion industry moves away from carbon-intensive practices, brands are actively seeking practical ways to embrace sustainability. Far beyond a passing trend, sustainability has become a key business strategy with significant value.
In this section, we’ll provide steps to help your brand transition to a more sustainable and eco-conscious model.
Embrace resale and rental
The resale market is expanding 11 times faster than traditional retail and is projected to reach $84 billion by 2030. With the help of accessible resale platforms like Vinted and Preloved, this shopping model supports the fashion industry’s sustainability goals.
Taking it a step further, the rental model allows consumers to rent items for days, weeks, or even a month. Fashion rentals provide significant environmental benefits for companies while still offering the excitement of “new” for eager shoppers. It’s a win-win for both businesses and the planet.
Ensure supply chain transparency
It’s not solely about the final product being sustainable. You must make sure every step of the production process, from extracting raw materials and manufacturing the items to transporting and storing them, is just as sustainable.
With the retail supply chain contributing to 25% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, it’s important to develop environmentally friendly supply chains that rely on eco-conscious fabrics and processes all while reducing inefficacies.
Address the concerns of your consumers
Returns are challenging not only for retailers but also for the environment. In the UK alone, £7 billion worth of online purchases are returned annually. While once considered purely a financial issue, returns are now recognized as environmentally harmful as well.
Whether due to poor fit or style mismatch, consumers are increasingly critical of return policies that contribute to the industry’s waste issues.
Today, 40% of shoppers want clothing made from recycled materials, and 44% believe retailers should avoid harsh chemicals in production.
In short, listening to consumer concerns can be a powerful way for fashion brands to remain both profitable and sustainable while enhancing customer loyalty and positive brand sentiment.
Use regenerative fabrics in production
Using regenerative fabrics in sustainable fashion brings multiple benefits, from environmental restoration to stronger brand value. These materials are sourced through methods that actively improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, and capture carbon, reducing the fashion industry’s environmental footprint. Regenerative fabrics often lead to higher quality, longer-lasting products, supporting circular fashion by extending the lifecycle of garments. Additionally, brands that adopt regenerative practices can build greater consumer trust and create a more resilient, eco-friendly supply chain.
Conclusion
As fashion brands and consumers look to the future, circular fashion will move from being a trend to a necessity. The benefits are significant, spanning environmental, economic, and social improvements across the fashion industry. By better understanding and participating in circular fashion, it’s easier than ever to help save money, reduce waste, and contribute to a sustainable fashion industry.