Circular Fibers is an industry-wide initiative to build a new global textile system based on the principles of the circular economy. The initiative has been launched by Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Circular Fibers brings together key industry stakeholders, such as H&M and Nike, to collectively define a vision for a new system that benefits businesses and citizens, and also phases out negative impacts such as waste and pollution.

The project will encourage businesses to shift away from the current take, make and dispose model, which puts high demand on land, energy and other resources. It aims at catalysing change across the industry by creating an ambitious, fact-based vision for a new global textile system, underpinned by circular economy principles, that has economic, environmental, and social benefits, and can operate successfully in the long term.

Textiles play an important role in the global economy. But a growing trend in consumerism has led to an inefficient waste and resource management system. In the US, for example, an estimated 85 per cent of clothing waste ends up in landfills.

Circular Fibers will provide an analysis of the textile industry. It will look at what a new circular economy for textiles could look like, and lay out the steps needed to build it.