What is Circular Fashion and Why Does It Matter?

Sustainable fashion is a conversation that has gained massive popularity in the past few years. Consumers have become more conscious and choosy about purchasing from brands that align with their values and as a result, brands have also jumped on the bandwagon.

Now, whether those brands are actually making production more sustainable or are simply using greenwashing tactics in their marketing is still to be decided. Regardless, sustainable fashion is a huge point of contention and worth examining in depth.

The thing is…sustainable fashion is a massive overarching movement. It can be approached in so many different ways and in order to have a productive conversation, we really have to get to the nitty gritty and discuss how each of those methods works.

While the majority of brands opt to become more sustainable by producing with fewer emissions and minimizing their product lines, the alternative of producing with circularity in mind is arguably much more impactful.

So, what is circular fashion and why is it important?

Conventionally produced fashion is created in a linear manner. Brands conceptualize a design, pump it to market, and after the consumer is done with it, the product is discarded. This creates a massive amount of waste and negatively impacts the environment.

Circular fashion on the other hand, ditches the linear “take-make-waste” model and instead asks the industry to “close the loop” on production. This means that brands are responsible for designing the manufacturing process to account for the garment’s end-of-life as well. In practicality, this usually looks like a take-back scheme with garment repair, upcycling, and recycling options for the very clothes that they produced.

What are some key principles of circular fashion?

Design for longevity

While circular design should account for proper garment disposal, the first step is still to design for longevity. When a quality garment is created, consumers cycle through the product more slowly and therefore the environmental impact is smaller.

Use of eco-friendly materials

These fashion brands should ideally be recycling and reusing the garments that they create so it’s essential that they use eco-friendly materials. Natural fibers like cotton and wool can easily be upcycled in new pieces and synthetic fibers like nylon can be recycled to create textiles like Econyl which can be used in the creation of athleticwear. Note that mixed fabrics are notoriously challenging to recycle, so when looking at a circular brand, double check that they’re intentionally keeping their fabric blends simple.

Repair and Resell

Circular fashion encourages the repair and resale of clothing and accessories. Brands can offer services that mend, upcycle, and resell pre-owned items which extends the lifespan of each garment and helps to close the loop.

Ethical and Fair Labor Practices

Sustainability means sustainable not just for the earth–but the inhabitants of the earth as well. Circular fashion brands should follow fair labor practices and ensure that the workers involved in production of their clothing are paid liveable wages and provided safe working conditions.

Why is circular fashion important?

Circular fashion is important because it’s a different model and framework by which we can look at how we relate to our clothes and the environment as a whole. Resources are limited and we have to shift away from the constantly extractive systems that we currently use. Circular fashion promises a more thoughtful and regenerative approach to the fashion industry and hopefully can be a model for other industries as well.

Learn more about sustainable fashion by checking out these resources: