Not-for-profit Made-By has launched what it says is a first-of-its-kind initiative for the European clothing sector that will trial and test practical innovations to reduce or re-use production leftovers.
Part of the European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP), H&M Global Change award winner Reverse Resources will partner on the project.
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The project measures material leftovers, explores ways to reduce the spillage rate and identifies recycling and re-manufacturing solutions that ensure leftovers move up the waste hierarchy, avoiding incineration and landfill.
It comes as a new report shows that manufacturers producing textiles and clothes for many of the world’s major fashion brands and retail outlets are “spilling” an average of 25% of virgin material resources, much higher than previously perceived. This figure has been supported by other organisations working in this field, including WRAP, and opens up an important conversation around the management of textile leftovers – much of which is treated as waste.
The initiative is targeted initially at European apparel brands and retailers, as well as suppliers in Europe and in Asia, and companies taking part will receive subsidised expertise and support.
Ria Kearney, senior consultant at Made-By says: “This is a largely unexplored topic, and the project findings will be shared across the clothing sector in order to support the broader move towards circularity.”
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By GlobalDataAnn Runnel, founder and CEO at Reverse Resources adds: “Our software solution to digitalise production leftovers can result in a significant business case for brands and factories to cooperate towards a circular economy. The collaboration with Made-By is a fantastic opportunity to build on the research we have already conducted in China and Bangladesh and further this mission.”
This initiative is part of the European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP), the first EU-Life funded project to drive sustainability throughout the entire lifecycle of clothing. Made-By’s work on this ties directly into ECAP’s primary objective – to reduce clothing waste across Europe.
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