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This collection has been built by a community of passionate researchers, students, and industry professionals as part of <a href="https://worldcirculartextilesday.com/" target="_blank">World Circular Textiles Day</a> (WCTD). 


World Circular Textiles Day takes place every year on 8th October.  Our vision is to galvanise the collective ambitions and goals of people, organisations and businesses to reach a fully circular textiles world by 2050. Our mission is to provide a framework for circularity stakeholders to develop and deliver a collaborative, evolving roadmap and to chart circularity’s momentum annually from the 8th of October until 2050.

What does fully circular by 2050 mean?
- Shared textile resources, in the form of products and raw materials, are kept in **continual circulation**.
- Virgin resources are **replaced with circular materials**.
- Dignity, equity, and equality for the **people** involved in all parts of the circular value chain.

We need to know where we stand today to chart how to get to 100% Circularity by 2050. What circular activity is currently happening in the textiles and apparel industry, and where in the world is it happening? The WCTD Collection aims to answer this question by building the world’s largest digital library of circular textiles case studies. 

World Circular Textiles Day is proud to be supported by our 2022-23 Circular Hero Partners:
[Lenzing](https://www.lenzing.com/), [Texaid](https://retailsolutions.texaid.com/), [Bank & Vogue](https://www.bankvogue.com/), [Usha yarns limited](https://ushayarns.com/), [The Conduit](https://www.theconduit.com/), and [Asia Pacific Rayon](https://www.aprayon.com/en/)

## Want to contribute to the WCTD Collection? Sign up and add your circular textiles activities.





World Circular Textiles Day

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Business case

Impact on the availability of resources as well as their effect on living organisms, ecosystems, and components of the environment.

Ecological Impact

Impacts on the financial condition of a company, as well as the the economicconditions of its stakeholders and on economic systems at local, national, andglobal levels.

Economic Impact

Direct and indirect reduction in economic costs

Cost Savings

Direct and indirect effects that increase revenues or the potential for new revenues, for example from new products, customer segments, partnerships or business models

Revenue Potential

Impact on the ease of innovation, and facilitating uptake of innovations

Innovation

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

Reduced use of virgin materials and/or an increase of the use of secondary and bio-based materials

Reduce Material Consumption (SDG12)

Minimise waste through diversion: Instead of sending waste to landfill, it is redirected into other industrial processes for handling, treatment, recycling, recovery, or reuse in various forms. 

Minimise waste through design: At the outset of a process of project, plan and design such that there is zero waste or minimal waste during production, use, and at end of life. 

Minimise Waste (SDG12)

Reduced use and withdrawal of water and rate of recycling and reuse of water

Save Water (SDG6)

Producing and providing business and consumer goods and services

Goods and Services

Producing textile and leather products and processing them into apparel and accessories

Fashion and Textiles

Ensure renewable, reusable, non-toxic resources are utilised as materials and energy in an efficient way

Prioritise regenerative resources

Utilise bio-based, reusable, non-toxic and non-critical materials

Regenerative materials

Enacting measures that optimise material use such as 3D printing, etc.

Material efficiency

VISION:
Raw materials are renewable, recyclable and safe, kept in continual circulation.

DETAIL:
Imagine a time when…the raw materials that are used to make things are sourced from existing products and regenerative agriculture, via carbon negative and climate neutral processes. Biodegradable raw materials are used for products with biodegradable end routes. Toxic chemicals have been washed out of the global materials pool, disposed of safely and replaced with beneficial alternatives. Virgin fibres made from fossil fuels have been banned, while secondary synthetic fibres, derived from what was already in the system, are kept in constant circulation as a resource. Circularity accounting methods, built on science-based metrics, help to manage a balanced system of resources, across all industries, and in line with the planet’s environmental limits.

Raw Materials and Planetary Boundaries

VISION:
Products and services are designed for multiple use and material value retention, with maximum positive impact.

DETAIL: 
Imagine a time when…products flow via optimal collection and distribution streams into reusable and repairable product platforms. Reuse and access models are dominant, and products are designed for multiple recirculation before biodegrading (if designed to do so), or being broken down into reusable raw materials for production. People only consume what they need. Production and consumption wastes have been fully eliminated and multifunctional, season-less and timeless fashions are the norm, yet still fulfil our human need for expression and creativity without constraint. All business models, organisations, governments and citizens play a role in maintaining a healthy, functioning circular ecosystem.

Products and Services

Prioritise regenerative resources [Textiles]

Regenerative materials [Textiles]

Using bio-based materials such as bioplastics, mushroom-based materials, etc.

Alternative bio-based materials and inputs [Textiles]

Regenerate strategies phase out hazardous or toxic materials and processes and substitute them with regenerative biomass resources. A circular economy aims to mimic natural cycles—by shifting to more regenerative farming practices, for example—while also maximising the share of circular biomass that enters the economy. Regeneration can happen both at the systems level (by designing regenerative processes) as well as at the product level (by switching synthetic to organic fertilisers, for example).

Regenerate

Impacts

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Industries

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

It is 2050.  Full systems change has taken place. This wouldn’t have been possible without the immediate action and radical steps taken from 2020 onwards. Many targets had to be identified in the early 2020s and achieved by 2030 to ensure that the 2050 goal happened in full. A sense of urgency, turbo stakeholder collaboration, supportive government regulation and clear, data driven targets enabled the mindsets and systems change needed to transform to a fully circular textiles ecosystem.

A circular economics model underpins what we have created. It reflects and supports a living organism made up of makers, users and restorers, interacting across vibrant and interconnected networks. Checks and balances, alongside transparency and accountability, ensure a healthy system. Financial, environmental, and social metrics have the purpose of serving communities and the planet. There is shared ownership of profit and loss – across all three metrics – throughout the value chain.

This is what we’ve achieved over the last 30 years:

WCTD Themes

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The Textiles Key Elements Framework is based on the main Key Elements Framework which renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive textile-focused strategies and interventions. 

The framework is action-based to provide users with concrete inspiring exemples to prevent and reduce the textiles waste mountain. 

The Framework consists of:
- 3 core elements: activities directly handling textile product or material flows; and uniquely,
- 4 Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.

Under which strategies provide further detail. Finally, each strategy consists of a diversity of tangible solutions which are framed in relation to the sought outcome. 

'Click through each of the seven elements cards below to explore the framework and circular textile-focused case studies in more depth!'

This framework was developed in collaboration with Circle Economy's textiles team. Read more about it [here]( https://www.circle-economy.com/programmes/textiles). 

Textiles Key Elements Framework

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 An action-based framework for apparel brands working towards circular strategies

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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 OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Wouldn’t we all like to envision a world where anyone can feel good in the clothes they wear, because they fit them perfectly and reflect their taste, are made close to where they live, without exploiting anyone, yet they are still affordable and do not harm, but maybe even benefit, the environment?  This spectacular animation by Talsand beautifully visualizes this bright future. But it is not just a dream! In fact, NEFFA is very close to making this a reality! We already produced the first full 3D, home compostable garment, based on a body scan and later this year we will launch our first robotic manufacturing cell together with our German manuacturing partner.


 With the pioneering MycoTEX project, NEFFA is developing sustainable textile from mycelium, the root of the mushroom. The shorter production chain eliminates the need for chemicals and pesticides. The water is reduced by 99.5% and due to local production there is little transport. There is only cultivated what is needed of mushrooms and there is no textile waste during the production phase. And AFTER wearing it, the garment can easily be buried in the ground and will compost it.
NEFFA specializes in fashion innovation and develops personalized fashion and textile products based on newly developed material and production techniques. They also investigate old materials, paint and production techniques to combine these with current technologies. For this project, among others,
NEFFA uses a CleanAir Biological Safety cabinet; the BioVanguard. This is to prevent the fungi from moving through the air or being inhaled, for example.
Aniela Hoitink was familiar with the CleanAir cabinets from her research history at the University of Utrecht. Due to the fine way of working, reliability and reputation of CleanAir, she has again opted for a BioVanguard Biological Safety cabinet from CleanAir for NEFFA. During the WoTS in 2018, contacts were made again and cooperation was established. BioVanguard – Biological Safety cabinets – Class II (IIA & IIB) 

 NEFFA, a young company, based in the Netherlands, that is challenging the materials and production techniques used in the fashion & apparel industries, to provide more sustainable clothing.  NEFFA have developed MycoTEX®, a ground breaking seamless manufacturing method allowing for custom-made clothes made from compostable mushroom roots.
Aniela Hoitink is the Founder of NEFFA and has an extensive background in the commercial fashion industry and believes we can enjoy fashion whilst still being sustainable.  Over recent years, a “throw away” culture has developed in the clothing sector with the growth of the lower cost, fast fashion retailers.  Aniela believes we should not look to change this behaviour, but focus on changing the materials and production techniques used to make clothing more sustainable, allowing the consumer to continue to enjoy an ever changing wardrobe.

By looking at nature’s own consumptive behaviour, NEFFA is finding solutions for the problems we’re currently facing. These solutions are on the crossover with textile, technology and microbiology. NEFFA also researches ancient materials, dyeing and production techniques to combine those with current technologies.

NEFFA are re-thinking the Future of Fashion by developing personalised fashion and textile projects based on newly developed material and production techniques  NEFFA have developed MycoTEX®, which is all-in-one solution for brands and is 100% biodegradable. A seamless production technology is used to create custom-fit products out of sustainable, vegan textiles made from mycelium (mushroom roots).
This ground breaking manufacturing method solves several major issues in the fashion, interior and automotive industry:
– Reduces the cost, waste, and labour-intensity of cut & sew operations
– Replaces plastics and leathers with compostable materials
– Improves the comfort and fit of fashion products
Plus any garments made out of MycoTEX® can be composted after use!
It is difficult to quantify the improvement in sustainability of the production of clothing made from MycoTEX®  against clothing made from more conventional materials, due to the lack of transparency in the current supply chains.  However the following illustration, provided by NEFFA, illustrates how it has simplified the supply chain.

NEFFA have been recognised for the work they are doing and is one of the winners of the H&M Global Change Awards, resulting in featuring in the H&M Foundation Billion Dollar Collection campaign.  Winning this award has enabled NEFFA to move forward with their new manufacturing technology & are planning to fully commercialise MycoTEX® in 2022.
If you’d like some more information on this fascinating technology, please contact John Allies at john@strategicallies.co.uk
 

Netherlands

Soest

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NEFFA

<p>NEFFA is a research, design, and development company. They use a unique method in 3D manufacturing and specialize in fashion innovation and the development of personalized textile products based on newly developed materials and production techniques, made from mycelium (mushroom roots).</p>