Guide for Circular Fashion Brands

Due to the fashion industry's contribution to global pollution and waste, a growing number of fashion brands are adopting different circular economy practices known as circular fashion. 

This guide explores what is the circular fashion concept, its environmental impact, and some best practices for implementing circular strategies.

The environmental impact of the fashion industry

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, which contributes to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes huge amounts of water and energy. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the textile and fashion industry produces 20% of global wastewater and 10% of global carbon emissions.

Furthermore, fast fashion has aggravated this situation, encouraging consumers to overconsume and treat clothing as disposable; an average person buys 60% more clothing items than they did 15 years ago, and nearly 60% of all clothing ends up in incinerators or landfills.

Circular fashion has appeared as one solution to change this situation and reduce the fashion's environmental footprint.

Sustainable materials and production processes

Sustainable materials and sustainable production are some of the key components of circular fashion, offering alternatives to traditional fashion such as:

• Organic and natural fibres: Cotton, linen, hemp, and other plant-based fibres that are grown without harmful pesticides or chemicals.
• Recycled materials: Fibers and fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles, textile waste, or other post-consumer materials.
• Innovative materials: Exploring new sustainable materials like pineapple leaf fibre, mushroom leather, or lab-grown fabrics.
• Ethical and transparent supply chains: Partnering with suppliers that prioritize fair labour practices, worker safety, and environmental responsibility.
• Renewable energy and water conservation: Implementing renewable energy sources and water recycling systems in manufacturing facilities.
• Chemical-free dyeing and finishing: Exploring natural dyes and eco-friendly finishing processes to reduce chemical pollution.

Brands must prioritise these options to reduce their environmental impact throughout their production processes and supply chains.

Designing for longevity and recyclability

Ecodesigning is also the focus of circular fashion. Ecodesign for circular fashion is designing garments with longevity and recyclability as key elements, designing products to be repaired, upcycled, or recycled at the end of their useful life.

Brands can implement the following strategies:

• Durable and timeless designs: Creating high-quality, classic pieces that can be worn for years without going out of style.
• Modular and adaptable designs: Allowing for easy disassembly, repair, or customization of garments.
• Mono-material construction: Using a single material or compatible materials that can be easily separated and recycled.
• Repair and upcycling programs: Offering repair services or providing resources for consumers to upcycle their clothing.
• Take-back and recycling initiatives: Implementing programs to collect and recycle used garments at the end of their life cycle.

Engaging consumers in sustainable fashion choices

Consumers are the most important players in the fashion industry. If they do not demand circular fashion options, it would be impossible to change traditional and fast fashion to more polluting options. 

Circular fashion brands must engage and educate their consumers to teach why it is important for the fashion industry to turn to circularity through:

• Transparency and storytelling: Sharing the brand's sustainability journey, processes, and impact through compelling narratives and transparent communication.
• Sustainable product labelling and certifications: Providing clear information about the environmental and social impact of products through labelling and third-party certifications.
• Rental, resale, and repair services: Offering rental, second-hand, or repair services to extend the lifespan of garments and promote a sharing economy.
• Educational campaigns and events: Organizing workshops, events, or campaigns to raise awareness about sustainable fashion and circular economy principles.
• Incentives and loyalty programs: Rewarding customers for participating in circular fashion initiatives, such as returning used clothing for recycling or purchasing sustainable products.

Top 10 sustainable fashion brands of 2024

To inspire and guide a brand transition to circular fashion, here are ten leading sustainable fashion brands that are paving the way:

1. Ecoalf: Under the "There's no planet B" manifest, Ecoalf has been growing since its release. Investing in recycling materials from plastic bottles, fishing nets, and other post-consumer waste to design its high-quality product portfolio.
2. VEJA: This Paris-based shoe brand creates trainers that make a difference by mixing social projects, economic justice, and ecological materials, reducing its environmental impact and supporting fair trade practices.
3. Moises Nieto: The Spanish designer creates clothing focusing on longevity, and circularity, using natural and biodegradable materials. As a slow-fashion promoter, he collaborates with small producers and circular companies, such as Recovo and its deadstock fabrics marketplace.
4. Avenir Berlin: Disruptive and innovative. These 2 words mixed with circularity to create Avenir Berlin's style, designed from organic and recycled materials to highlight its fashion vision.
5. Alfie Paris:  Based in Paris, the luxury brand designs exclusive collections from high-end fashion brands’ deadstock fabrics, such as Rosalia's skirt made from Recovo marketplace’s fabrics.
6. Nicklas Skovgaard: Prioritizing circularity to design its avant-garde designs to explore how different unexpected materials and textiles can meet classical forms.
7. Patagonia: Progressive and cutting-edge, the brand has built its business model around sustainability, rejecting fast fashion by creating high-quality, long-lasting products, offering a repair and reuse program, and using 98% recycled materials.
8. Rotate Birger Christensen: Party wear and everyday glamour from a Copenhagen-based fashion brand with sustainable thinking. Rotate designs its collection using deadstock and surplus fabrics, reducing its waste production.
9. Ganni: They do not define themself as a sustainable brand, they just try to be the most responsible version of themselves. The brand pretends to achieve a 50% carbon reduction by 2027, contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry.
10. Djerf Avenue: Ethical production is one of their core motivations to exist. Producing in Portugal, Italy, and Sweden, they create stylish high-quality products while prioritising sustainability, ethical practices, and a circular approach to fashion. 

Best practices for implementing circular fashion strategies

Embracing circularity is not a hard process for fashion brands, but it is important to plan and create circular fashion strategies and adopt good practices such as:

• Engage stakeholders and collaborate: Involve employees, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders in the sustainability journey, and seek opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
• Invest in research and innovation: Investing in sustainable material innovation will create competitive advantages and can also create new business models.
• Integrate sustainability into the company culture: Circularity must be in every strategy that a company plans. Treating sustainability as a second-role player is not going to be profitable. Sustainability must be at the core of a company.
• Communicate transparently: Every step related to circularity practices must be shared with every stakeholder. Transparency must be at the centre of every circular strategy.