Amsterdam's Fashion for Good highlights circular fashion progress in new report

Transforming textile waste into a valuable resource

Amsterdam-based Fashion for Good (FFG), a leading organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable fashion practices, has released its Sorting for Circularity USA report. This research aims to advance global circular fashion solutions by addressing pressing challenges in the polluting textile industry.

Fashion for Good focuses on fostering innovation and collaboration to drive systemic change in the fashion sector. Through various initiatives, FFG works with partners towards creating a closed-loop system where all textiles are effectively utilised, minimising waste and environmental impact.

The newly released report explores consumer disposal behaviour, textile waste composition, and the potential for fibre-to-fibre recycling in the U.S. It also provides insights into necessary investments, infrastructure developments, and next steps toward achieving circularity.

“The Sorting for Circularity USA Project addresses a pivotal challenge in the textile industry: transforming textile waste into a valuable resource,” says Katrin Ley, Managing Director at Fashion for Good. “Our research delves into the links between consumer behaviour, waste generation, and recycling technologies. We aim to establish a system where all textiles are utilised effectively, minimising waste.”

Bridging data gaps for circularity

According to the report, there is a $1.5 billion opportunity for fibre-to-fibre recycling by redirecting end-of-life textiles from landfills to recycling streams. The report also identifies two critical areas lacking data: consumer disposal of garments and the material characteristics of the disposed textiles. A national consumer survey and waste composition analysis were conducted to fill these gaps. 

The survey revealed that 60 percent of respondents divert textiles, while 4 percent discard them, primarily due to condition and fit. The waste composition analysis showed that over 56 percent of post-consumer textiles are suitable for fibre-to-fibre recycling, with cotton and polyester being the most prevalent fibre types.

Collaborative efforts in Amsterdam and beyond

The textiles industry has significant environmental impact from production to disposal. To address this, Fashion for Good (FFG) has called for more investment in research, development, and supportive policies to drive technological innovation. 

The report encourages partnerships among stakeholders—brands, government, retailers, consumers, collectors, sorters, recyclers, and financial institutions—to promote circularity. As one of Amsterdam’s leading fashion innovation platforms, FFG, stands among other initiatives like United Repair Centre and Lena Clothing Library, working on advancing new technologies and business models to revolutionise the fashion industry.