Textile Recycling and Reuse

Fast Fashion (FF)

Consumers need to be aware
of the impact of FF

Deep rooted into the fashion world

Biggest cause of fashion/textile waste

Some high street brands
are beginning to move towards
the use of recycled materials & fibres

Becoming more aware of the impacts
that FF and waste has on the environment

consumers are gearing more
towards eco-friendly & recycled
fashion & textiles

Tends to be the younger generation

Reduces waste and carbon emissions

becoming "trendy"

better than sending waste to landfill/incineration

It is argued that reuse is better
than recycling since it has a lower
production rate

Subtopic

melting down

fibre recycling

stripping to basics

requires fair amount of production

Plays a major role in the production
and reduction of environmental impact

Designers have a huge part
to play in sustainability

responsible for becoming more aware of
FF impacts and how to gear consumers
more towards sustainable options

Can sometimes outweigh its benefits

i.e. transportation of materials
can outweigh the
benefits of recycling/reuse

some consumers are against the idea of
reuse due to the nature of it being second-hand

Upcycling

Less production

usually used by small businesses

can be labour intensive

utilises waste fashion,
cut-offs from industry,
waste yarn etc.

creates an entirely new product which can be
of a lower quality than its original form

Remanufacturing

Pammi Sinha argues that
Remanufacturing is
more efficient for
mass market industries
than reuse/upcycling

less labour intensive

quicker production rate

"higher form of reuse that
focuses on value-added
recovery"

Creates a new garment by
stripping old ones down
to its most basic form

aims to create a product
of higher value/quality
than its original state

aims to extend the warranty/
lifespan of materials & fibres