The consumption of clothing and textiles is increasing in Europe, and it is estimated that an average European consumes 15kg of clothing and textiles per year. Therefore, companies, organisations and the Ministry of Environment have come together to set several common targets including that all clothing and textiles from participating Danish companies must consist of at least 40 per cent recycled material by 2030. The agreement asks for textiles and clothes to be designed for longevity and for a larger part of the turnover to come from recycled materials, CPHFW said in a media release.
“Our consumption is far too high, and it wears down the planet’s scarce resources. The production of clothes and textiles is one of the most environmentally damaging industries in the world. So, we have to get away from the use-and-throw-away culture, like the fashion industry today is characterised by. It resonates in the industry and internationally when Danish textile companies—large and small—undertake to reduce their climate and environmental footprint. Denmark must be among the leaders in the green transformation of the fashion and textile industry,” said Denmark’s minister of the environment Lea Wermelin.
Copenhagen Fashion Week and Denmark’s ministry of environment have launched a sectoral agreement within the fashion and textile industry which obliges companies to recycle and use more recycled materials by 2030. The fashion week opened today with 10 Danish textile companies and 3 organisations acknowledging the necessity to reduce the industry’s footprint.#
Maria Glæsel, director of fashion company Aiayu, has been elected as the person in charge of the sector collaboration. She is happy that the industry and the ministry are collaborating on the circular restructuring because it requires both the goodwill of companies and structural changes: “It is important that we bring the industry together in a common direction, and that is why I am proud to be appointed as the front person. My wish is that we can bring industry players together for common goals and exchange experiences that lead to action.”
The minister of the environment is the initiator of the sectoral cooperation, and the Lifestyle & Design Cluster will function as a secretariat with, among other things, the preparation of an action plan, data collection and servicing of the steering group. All Danish textile companies can join the goals and the sectoral cooperation.
The sector collaboration will be expanded to include Norway, Sweden and Finland from 2023.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
