City ecosystems

A first of its kind study has analysed what happens to clothes and other textiles after consumers no longer want them in Amsterdam, Austin, Berlin, Geneva, Luxembourg, Manchester, Melbourne, Oslo and Toronto.

By taking decisive action at the local level, cities can lead the way in reducing textile waste, promoting circular economy principles, and fostering a culture of responsible consumption that aligns with our planet's ecological limits, according to a new report that says that cities across Europe are proactively addressing the issue and promoting sufficiency.

The Finnish city of Lahti, some 100-odd km to the north of capital Helsinki, has made stupendous progress through its incentive-based collection of textile waste, and has now launched a design competition on how to tackle discarded textiles.