The UK is debating how to deal with textile waste. Demand for used textiles from Eastern Europe and other markets is intact. There is an increasing awareness from consumers that textiles can be recycled. But customers demand for product quality is increasing. One way out is for the textile and fashion industry to embrace design for recycling and to commit to using secondary raw materials even if they are more expensive than virgin materials.

Other proposals are that fashion retailers should take responsibility for the waste they create by introducing an extended producer responsibility scheme for textiles and reward companies that take positive action to reduce waste. A levy on each item sold could raise funds for reuse/recycling and other initiatives to improve the circularity of the clothing/textiles industry. Other proposals include incorporation of eco-design principles in fashion production and an investment fund to stimulate markets for recycled fibers.

A dry upcycling process encompassed within a 40-foot double-glazed container completes the entire process of garment-to-garment recycling – from sanitisation and fiber opening to spinning and knitting – in a period of four hours to two days. One of the major benefits of this initiative is as an educational tool that enables the public to visualise the value of old garments.