CIRCULAR FASHION: CREATING A SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING ECONOMY
Natarajan Arunraaj, Rupal Joshi
Keywords: Circular fashion; textile recycling; enzymatic recycling; eco-design; extended producer responsibility (EPR); product-service systems; techno-economic analysis; textile waste management.
Abstract
The global fashion industry has become emblematic of the environmental and social crises of consumerism. Fast fashion, characterized by short product lifespans, low prices, and rapid turnover, drives unsustainable resource extraction, carbon emissions, and waste accumulation. In 2023, global fiber production reached an unprecedented 124 million tonnes, while textile waste was estimated at over 92 million tonnes annually (Textile Exchange, 2024; UNEP, 2025). The environmental impacts are severe, accounting for 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, 20% of wastewater, and significant microplastic pollution. Circular fashion, grounded in circular economy principles, offers an alternative paradigm that emphasizes longevity, repairability, recyclability, and closed-loop material systems. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of circular fashion as a pathway to building a sustainable clothing economy. It synthesizes academic literature, industry reports, and policy frameworks published between 2019 and 2025, integrating statistical data with case-based evidence. Technical advances in mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic recycling are explored, with emphasis on Carbios’ enzymatic depolymerization of PET, solvent-based separation of blends, and AI-driven automated sorting. The analysis also evaluates new business models including product-service systems (rental, resale, repair), extended producer responsibility (EPR), and digital product passports for traceability. Findings indicate that while circular fashion has significant environmental potential, systemic barriers remain: blended fibers, economic costs of advanced recycling, inconsistent collection systems, and consumer rebound effects. A techno-economic roadmap is presented, highlighting short-, medium-, and long-term interventions. Ultimately, achieving circular fashion at scale requires collaboration among designers, manufacturers, policymakers, and consumers, supported by regulatory mandates and investments in technology. The article concludes that circular fashion is both a moral and economic imperative, capable of redefining the future of global apparel systems.