Flood of clothes: 200 football stadiums full of rubbish – this is how we can save it!

Flood of clothes: 200 football stadiums full of rubbish – this is how we can save it!

The fashion world is faced with an enormous problem: every year around 120 million tons of clothing end up in the trash worldwide - an amount that corresponds to the volume of over 200 football stadiums. A recent study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) produced these alarming figures. What's shocking is that 80 percent of this clothing waste either ends up in landfills or is incinerated, while only 12 percent gets a chance to be reused. A striking example of the huge amounts of textile waste are the large mountains of clothing in northern Chile, which are even visible from space, according to idowa.de.

But the problem doesn't just start with disposal. Shoppers only wear items of clothing 7 to 10 times on average, making the situation even worse. The low recycling rate of just 1 percent is surprising; Many textiles are made from blends that are difficult to recycle. Over 90 percent of CO2 emissions in the fashion industry result from the extraction and processing of new raw materials. A painful realization that calls for a fundamental rethink in the industry.

The path to a circular economy

A concept that is becoming increasingly important is the circular economy in the textile industry. According to Circular Economy Germany, the focus must be on clothing because the amount of waste is constantly growing. There are currently hardly any sector-specific regulations for the textile industry, but new projects are intended to help achieve defined sustainability goals. The dialogue between the federal government and companies is intended to promote circular business models and increase sales of durable clothing and recycled fibers.

An important element is the change in awareness among consumers. Information campaigns are intended to increase the appreciation of long-lasting clothing and encourage people to buy less in the fast fashion segment. Companies are asked to try out innovative business models such as product-as-a-service and to enter into collaborations with sorting technologies for textile waste.

Demands for a sustainable textile industry

The WWF also sees a need for action and calls for a circular textile industry that leaves the classic “take-make-waste” model behind. The eight strategic approaches include, among other things, the reduction of overproduction and consumption as well as the use of sustainable raw materials. A transparent approach to supply chains and combating microfiber pollution are also essential.

A future focus in recycling policy could be the introduction of product lifespan requirements in the EU product regulations. But the responsibility does not only lie with politicians. Consumers should specifically choose high-quality and long-lasting textiles, while companies must rely on circular processes. Joint efforts are necessary to make the textile industry sustainable and environmentally friendly. Can we manage to overcome these challenges together?

With a powerful rethink and decisive measures, the future of the fashion industry could actually shine in a sustainable light - towards a viable circular economy, as called for in the WWF study.