Climate action NGO WRAP has claimed that an independent evaluation of its work shows reduction in UK annual greenhouse gas emissions of almost 5million tonnes CO2eq for the period 2019–20.
- This is saving of around 27,000 tonnes CO2eq per WRAP employee. The same reduction as taking 1.6 milion cars off the road for a year, WRAP said in its Annual Report as it celebrates its achievements and impact in 2022–23 and sharing priorities for 2024.
OFF THE BLOCK: Some data from the report:
- The carbon footprint of textiles sold/ placed on the market by brand and retailer signatories rose by 4.4% between 2019 and 2021, and the water footprint also increased slightly by 1%.
- The primary reason for this increase was due to a significant growth in the volume of clothing and home textiles sold or placed on the market in 2021.
- During this period, the number of actions taken by signatories to reduce their carbon and water footprints also increased, from 64 actions in 2019 to 106 actions in 2021, predominantly in the uptake of preferred materials.
- While these actions had a positive impact on signatories’ footprints, helping to reduce carbon by 2% and water by 14%, they were not sufficient to counteract the significant growth in the volume of clothing and home textiles sold or placed on the market in 2021.
- The data makes it clear that the industry needs to address the issue of production and consumption as a matter of urgency.
- The case for circular business is clear and it offers so much opportunity for the sector to do what it does best, to get creative, to unlock innovation and to set new trends that prioritise people and planet.
- There needs to be a huge increase in the pace and scale of innovation and collaboration on the pathway to circularity if climate targets are to be realised.
TRANSFORMING TEXTILES:
- To develop the Textiles 2030 Footprint Tool.
- Identify and prioritise circumstances where pre-loved textiles can replace new.
- Support businesses in designing clothing for longevity and to be recyclable.
- Identify the financial incentives and policy changes required for a global, closed loop, textiles recycling system.
- Create industry standard for minimum durability that enables consistency globally.
- Publish a landscape review of UK textiles recycling infrastructure.
Developing a circular economy:
- To deliver evidence and activities to increase business recycling.
- Support partners to adopt and implement circular economy strategies.
- Develop grant programmes and work with private sector to drive investment.
- Support citizen readiness for forthcoming national policy changes such as DRS.
- Support UK Governments to deliver against their net zero targets.
The 2022-23 targets include focus on:
- Citizen behaviour change campaigns across the UK.
- Continue to work with partners around the world, embedding policies and practices that drive a more circular economy, with focus on the Asia-Pacific region.
- Remain committed to providing policy and technical support to national and local governments, and the implementation of collection and packaging reforms.
- Support higher rates of recycling and a more circular economy through household collections, and more business recycling.
TEXTILES 2030: Through Textiles 2030, the shared mission is to catalyse the fashion and textile industry’s transformation from linear to circular—drawing on the energy, experience, and innovation of all corners of the sector to drive this change forward. In just over a year and a half since the inception of Textiles 2030, more than 110 businesses and organisations, representing over 62% of all clothing products placed on the UK market, have signed up with WRAP and committed to:
- Reduce the aggregate greenhouse gas footprint of new products by 50%.
- Reduce the aggregate water footprint of new products sold by 30%.
- Progress along the Textiles 2030 Circularity Roadmap.
The Textiles 2030 Annual Progress Report 2021-22 sets out the baseline for Textiles 2030, based on the signatories’ combined carbon and water footprints in 2019 and shares the results from the signatories’ first year of reporting in 2021—both of which are crucial for bringing to life the scale of the challenge that needs to be collectively overcome, enabling tracking of progress over the next eight years and empowering signatories to carry out action in the right places.
THE BACKDROP: A voluntary agreement to be funded by its signatories and government, Textiles 2030 participants collaborate on carbon, water and circular textile targets, and contribute to discussions around policy development for textiles in the UK.
- The voluntary agreement builds on the learning and success of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP 2020) and aims to engage the majority of UK fashion and textiles organisations in collaborative climate action.
- Leading businesses for sustainability across clothing retail, supply, reuse and recycling, including SCAP signatories, collaborate as ‘partners’ on fast-tracking the UK Circular Economy.
WHAT THEY SAID:
WRAP is challenging traditional thinking about a linear economic model of extract-consume-chuck, and showing where a positive alternative is possible. To deliver change of the scale necessary in future will require even more effort from a huge cast of actors in the UK and across the world. Each step forward is a springboard to greater impact and towards a regenerative circular economy that respects people and planet equally, and which will help us all embrace circular living.
— Harriet Lamb
Chief Executive Officer
WRAP
It’s testament to the strength of the partnerships WRAP has convened with governments, businesses, and citizens that we can look back on a year of significant achievements. Though our year was one of growth, it was also a period of reflection. This has led to changes in the way we organise and work to increase the reach of our expertise and the scale of our impact. We are resourcing to make our expertise and repeatable models more available internationally, while deepening the work we do with partners here in the UK to achieve more together.
— Seb Munden
Chair
WRAP
This was our first year reporting our textiles baseline carbon, water, and waste figures. The Textiles 2030 Footprint Calculator Tool has been very insightful and has helped us understand our material impacts and what we need to do to improve our overall footprint. We have used these figures to support our product sustainability strategy and strengthen our position to increase the use of more sustainable materials in our Conscious Choice range.
— Lisa Ly
Sustainability Technologist
Dunelm
