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World of Waste

World of Waste

World of Waste is an online tool dedicated to uniting industry-wide efforts to develop and disseminate data on textile waste. The platform consolidates data from individual studies by partnering with ecosystem players.

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Problem Statement

Each year, the textile industry generates significant amounts of waste, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for circularity. Access to information on such waste is crucial to harnessing its potential. While various organisations have published studies reporting on textile waste, there is no one stop shop that houses all this information.

A consolidated platform enables identification, comparison, and utilisation of textile waste hotspots, which is particularly useful for recyclers looking to secure feedstock and building expansion planning. Additionally, it facilitates the identification of data gaps across regions, waste types, and compositions, prompting further studies.

Executive Summary

An initiative launched by Fashion for Good in November 2024 in collaboration with key industry stakeholders, to facilitate access to global textile waste data via a live, online tool. This platform seeks to consolidate data from studies conducted by Fashion for Good and ecosystem players including Reverse Resources, Global Fashion Agenda, Circle Economy and Accelerating Circularity. It encompasses both post-industrial and post-consumer, to establish integrated access for the public and industry.

The tool provides overview data points as well as links to original studies, providing information on:

  • Total waste quantities by country
  • Waste quantities by type: post-industrial and post-consumer
  • Composition Learnings from the study
  • Study structure and methodology
  • Organisations involved in the studies, partner organisations
  • Upcoming projects in different regions

Goals of the Project

  • Provide visibility of textile waste hotspots for incumbents and innovators in recycling, to facilitate feedstock and expansion strategy planning

  • Consolidate textile waste data across various research projects and organisations participating under the project

  • Regularly update as newer data is made available through various projects

  • Provide visibility on completed and ongoing waste mapping activities, methodologies, type and composition of waste

  • Provide enhanced utility to the ecosystem per identification of needs and opportunities over time

  • Identify the data gaps and to enable bridging these gaps across regions for textile waste

Project Results

  • World of Waste is available for public use as an online resource facilitating identification & utilisation of textile waste hotspots arising through manufacture and use

  • As of November 2024, the tool has mapped an aggregate of 26.6 million tonnes of textile waste spanning 12 countries

  • The tool aims to increase coverage every quarter with the inclusion of more partners & countries

Stakeholders Involved

Relevant Resources

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