Fibre_to_Fibre_Pilot_Case_Study_ASOS.pdf

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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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Starter Kit collection

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 social fabric of the community and well-being of the individuals and families.

Social 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

Impact on increased knowledge and understanding as a result of the case study

Increase Awareness

Impact on the quantity or quality of jobs, and shifts in the labour market

Jobs

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

Innovation

Scalability

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)

Reduced use of fossil fuel energy sources and/or increased use of renewable energy

Reduce Energy Consumption

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

Providing goods on the Internet, through mail order, or television, or providing goods in stores, including apparel, electronics, furniture, food and drug, etc.

Retail

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

Using materials that can be easily reused or recycled after use

Reusable, recyclable materials and inputs

Make collected and sorted recyclables available for use by citizens, small businesses up to large scale industrial processes. 

Use recyclables

Efficiency and effectiveness of water supply services must be secured by minimising the leaks, through a combination of leak detection techniques, pipes maintenance and reparation and water audits. Leak minimisation can be enhanced through the use of sensor technologies.

Minimise leaks

Solutions at all stages of the textiles value chain.

Zero Waste Textiles

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

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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      Here’s the lowdown. While recycling clothing is nothing new, there’s a bunch of game-changing new tech on the scene which works to shred used fabric so it can be woven into a new high-quality thread. This recycled cotton, which is actually even stronger than the first batch, is blended with CmiA cotton (Cotton made in Africa, an aid initiative that works to improve living conditions of cotton farmers across Africa). Available in light-wash and mid-wash blue, and in six classic tapered and slim-fit styles, the recycled jeans not only look fresh to death, but each pair saves enough water to make over 3,000 cups of coffee. Just don’t drink them all at once.  

  The aim: To reduce the use of virgin materials in the production of clothing.
The expected outcome: Saving water, energy and less clothing going to landfill and incineration.
Nine companies, from fashion brands to work-wear companies and from children’s wear to hotel linen, started an innovative pilot to recover fibres and turn them into new garments.
Details and results of these pilots are detailed below in the form of a case studies. Each contains the percentage of recycled post- and pre-consumer fibres, the material used, which garment was made and the producing country.
Guidance tool
We have also developed a more extensive guidance tool which provides an overview of relevant issues and links to useful resources. Topics covered include learnings from pilots, policy and market developments. It has been created to inspire others to take action in creating a circular approach to textiles and is aimed at professionals working for the textiles industry, including designers, fashion brands, retailers, workwear suppliers and textile recyclers. 
Go to the guidance tool.
Case studies
ASOS
Production of denim jeans made with 17-20% recycled cotton. View ASOS case study.
Blycolin Group International
Production of bed sheets made from fibres of recycled cotton – 15 % post-consumer (old sheets), 35 % industrial cotton waste, 30 % cotton and 20% polyester. View Blycolin case study.
HAVEP
Production of workwear aprons made from 10% post-consumer recycled cotton, 10% industrial cotton waste and 55% recycled PET  and 25% cotton. View HAVEP case study.
JBC
Production of denim for children, women and men made from 20% post-consumer jeans, 79% bio cotton and 1% elasthan (originating from PET bottles). View JBC case study.
Moodstreet
Production of trials in a jersey collection for children, denim and jackets. Jackets were then taken into full production which included polyester made with 43% post-consumer and 57% virgin material. View Moodstreet case study.
Schijvens Corporate Fashion
Production of workwear t-shirts, polo shirts and blouses made from 30% post-consumer textiles (mixed PET & cotton), 20% industrial textile waste (cotton) and 50% PET (from bottles). View Schijvens case study.
TRICORP Workwear
Production of polo shirts for Dutch State Forest Agency made with 10% post consumer recycled cotton and 40% industrial cotton waste and t-shirts made with 10% post consumer recycled cotton, 40% industrial cotton waste and 50% recycled polyester. View TRICORP Workwear case study.
WE Fashion
Production of knitted products made from 50% post-consumer recycled cotton and 50% Tencel. View WE Fashion case study.
Suitsupply
Production of jackets made with 5% post-consumer wool from discarded suits (Suitsupply) and 5% industrial textile waste (wool) 90% virgin merino wool. View Suitsupply case study.
Fact sheets
We have developed a number of fact sheets outlining lessons learnt under seven issues that are important if companies start using recycled fibres. These lessons deal with how to find internal and external support and cooperation, organise communication or logistics and address issues like design and quality of the garment. Many companies also looked at new business models.
The fact sheets available so far are as follows:
Internal support – fact sheet can be found here
Cooperation – fact sheet can be found here
Communications – fact sheet can be found here
Logistics – fact sheet can be found here
Quality of fibre – fact sheet can be found here
Design – fact sheet can be found here
Business models – fact sheet can be found here
Pilot summary

Environmental impacts were calculated by REMO and consider the substitution of virgin into recycled fibres. Other potential environmental benefits were not included (e.g. no bleaching or dyeing) and the calculation did not consider differences between fibres originating from post-consumer textiles versus industrial textile waste, so these were additional savings.
Why take action

As the worldwide demand for sustainable textiles is growing, fibre recovery is an important way of minimising our environmental impact.
Key findings, results and impacts

Denims is the front runner in the field of fibre recovery. Not only did several pilots produce denims with recycled content, but others also used denims as a source to produce different garments
Pilots included a combination of post-consumer and industrial material waste
The wide range of percentages and materials used show how circular textiles can grow in the near future
Communication with customers is incredibly important to create demand and a robust business model
Supply chain cooperation and knowledge are key to success
Integration into existing processes is important
Collectors and recyclers are very different to designers and brands so to enable working together this needs to be understood and addressed
Track and trace and take back schemes are key to building circularity
Legislation of ‘waste’ export is key.

Details of the fibre to fibre recovery pilots were also showcased at the Cirular Textiles – Ready to Market event In Amsterdam on 15th February 2019.  The aim: To reduce the use of virgin materials in the production of clothing.The expected outcome: Saving water, energy and less clothing going to landfill and incineration.Nine companies, from fashion brands to work-wear companies and from children’s wear to hotel linen, started an innovative pilot to recover fibres and turn them into new garments.Details and results of these pilots are detailed below in the form of a case studies. Each contains the percentage of recycled post- and pre-consumer fibres, the material used, which garment was made and the producing country.We have also developed a more extensive guidance tool which provides an overview of relevant issues and links to useful resources. Topics covered include learnings from pilots, policy and market developments. It has been created to inspire others to take action in creating a circular approach to textiles and is aimed at professionals working for the textiles industry, including designers, fashion brands, retailers, workwear suppliers and textile recyclers. Production of bed sheets made from fibres of recycled cotton – 15 % post-consumer (old sheets), 35 % industrial cotton waste, 30 % cotton and 20% polyester. View Blycolin case study.Production of workwear aprons made from 10% post-consumer recycled cotton, 10% industrial cotton waste and 55% recycled PET  and 25% cotton. View HAVEP case study.Production of denim for children, women and men made from 20% post-consumer jeans, 79% bio cotton and 1% elasthan (originating from PET bottles). View JBC case study.Production of trials in a jersey collection for children, denim and jackets. Jackets were then taken into full production which included polyester made with 43% post-consumer and 57% virgin material. View Moodstreet case study.Production of workwear t-shirts, polo shirts and blouses made from 30% post-consumer textiles (mixed PET & cotton), 20% industrial textile waste (cotton) and 50% PET (from bottles). View Schijvens case study.Production of polo shirts for Dutch State Forest Agency made with 10% post consumer recycled cotton and 40% industrial cotton waste and t-shirts made with 10% post consumer recycled cotton, 40% industrial cotton waste and 50% recycled polyester. View TRICORP Workwear case study.Production of knitted products made from 50% post-consumer recycled cotton and 50% Tencel. View WE Fashion case study.Production of jackets made with 5% post-consumer wool from discarded suits (Suitsupply) and 5% industrial textile waste (wool) 90% virgin merino wool. View Suitsupply case study.We have developed a number of fact sheets outlining lessons learnt under seven issues that are important if companies start using recycled fibres. These lessons deal with how to find internal and external support and cooperation, organise communication or logistics and address issues like design and quality of the garment. Many companies also looked at new business models.Environmental impacts were calculated by REMO and consider the substitution of virgin into recycled fibres. Other potential environmental benefits were not included (e.g. no bleaching or dyeing) and the calculation did not consider differences between fibres originating from post-consumer textiles versus industrial textile waste, so these were additional savings.As the worldwide demand for sustainable textiles is growing, fibre recovery is an important way of minimising our environmental impact.

Europe

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ASOS plc is a British online fashion and cosmetic retailer. The company was founded in 2000 in London, primarily aimed at young adults. The website sells over 850 brands as well as its own range of clothing and accessories, and ships to all 196 countries from fulfilment centres in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe.

ASOS

<p>Through a fibre-to-fibre pilot project, ASOS increased their use of recycled fibres to produce denim products, saving water and energy use, reduced 13,978 tonnes of CO2, and prevented an estimated 1.1 tonnes of textile discarded to landfills.</p>

ASOS: increasing use of recycled fiber in denim products

Providing repair services or maintenance services for products or parts

Product maintenance, repair

Selling high quality, long-lasting products

Sale of durable, long-lasting goods

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

CE Materials

Materials

Nace Sectors

Topics

Urban Opportunities

Whilst no two countries are the same, there are still obvious similarities between some of them, with discernible development patterns and parallels in evidence. Common problems and shared solutions help place unique country identities and individual issues in context.

Whilst this classification is far from clear-cut and exhibits some overlap, it does underline how the discourse on transitioning to a circular economy needs to account for both differences and commonalities, if we are to arrive at a more strategic and instructive analysis. It also allows to highlight a set of key themes that are likely to be central to the countries that fall under the respective profiles. 

Country profiles (Build, Grow, Shift)

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A framework to distinguish between different country profiles and their circular transition needs.

Browse case studies by type of implementing stakeholder.

Implementing stakeholders

80+ circular strategies for product development 
organised hierarchically into three tiers
with tier 1 and tier 2 based on the Key Elements Framework

DISRUPT

The Circular City Actions Framework provides urban changemakers with five complementary strategies they can use to start working towards a more circular system. 

The framework is action-based to provide users with concrete strategic directions and showcase the desired outcomes of each strategy. 
The framework consists of five complementary **strategies**, under which **sub-strategies** provide further detail. Finally, each sub-strategy consists of a diversity of tangible **solutions** which are framed in relation to key thematic areas. 

Note: solutions are currently focused on:
- 🍏 **Food systems**
- 🏢  **Built environment**
- 👕📱  **Consumer goods**
- ⚡ **Energy Systems**
- 🚌 **Mobility Systems**
- 💧 **Water Systems**

More thematic areas are coming soon...

'Click through each of the five strategy cards below to explore the framework and circular economy case studies in more depth!'



This framework was developed in collaboration with ICLEI, Metabolic and Ellen MacArthur Foundation with support from the MAVA Foundation. Read more about it [here]( https://circulars.iclei.org/action-framework/). 



Circular City Actions Framework

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An action-based framework for local governments working towards circular cities

Designer. Preloved. Vintage. Streetwear. Sneakers. Whatever your style. Find it on Depop.

United Kingdom

<p>ASOS Marketplace launched in 2010, and has now become a widely used online platform for independent brands and vintage boutiques. They now represent over 800 boutiques including Hanger Vintage, Hunger Vintage, Old but Gold Vintage, Atlas Vintage, Snake Cake Vintage and many more.</p>