Only 25 of the 235 brands scored at least five on Kearney’s 10-point scale in its newly released 2024 Circular Fashion Index. Brands like Levi's, Patagonia, and The North Face scored above seven, indicating significant progress in circularity.

The index evaluates companies on seven best practices, with a score of 10 indicating extensive efforts. For instance, a company using 100 per cent recycled fabrics would score a 10, while one using none would score a one. Richard Wiechelowski, Senior Investment Analyst, Planet Tracker, notes, while the industry talks about sustainability, delivery remains limited.

The report highlights a trend of ‘greenhushing,’amongst companies, where privately owned and luxury brands, underreport their sustainability efforts, Many brands hesitate to publicise their circularity initiatives despite significant internal progress, adds Brian Ehrig, Partner-Consumer Service, Kearney’s

The top 10 brands in the index, which have adopted all recommended best practices, include The North Face, Patagonia, Lululemon, Levi’s, Madewell, Gant, OVS, Lindex, Gucci, and Coach. The report also lauds footwear brands Allbirds, Timberland, Brooks Running, Golden Goose, and Ugg for their circular practices.

Further, the report identifies, slow material innovation, defective manufacturing practices and faulty designs as few of the challenges hindering circularity in fashion.

To counter these, the report recommends shifting to monomaterials, adopting modular manufacturing, and designing for care, repair, and recovery. Brands like Patagonia and Coach have successfully implemented such practices, setting an example for the industry, it adds.