New £2m fund to cut environmental impact of textiles

A £2m fund aimed at reducing the environmental impact of textiles has been launched in Scotland.

Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) said the money would go directly to textile businesses across the nation, from fashion to upholstery.

It estimates that while textiles make up just 4% of waste by weight, they account for 32% of the carbon impact of Scotland's household waste.

The Circular Textiles Fund is designed to boost Scotland's circular economy.

It is backed by the Scottish government and will be administered in three rounds as grant funding.

ZWS said it was supporting initiatives that would cut demand for new clothing, employ sustainable manufacturing processes, mitigate the pollution from washing textiles and make them easier to reuse and repair.

The organisation also wants to "maximise the potential" of waste textiles.

It is keen on initiatives that include material sorting technologies to better sort and grade textiles for reuse, the creation of new products from waste and the reprocessing of problem materials.

The circular economy is a model of production and consumption which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible.

In practice, it implies reducing waste to a minimum. When a product reaches the end of its life, its materials are kept within the economy wherever possible. These can be productively used again and again, thereby creating further value.

Source: European Parliament

Zero Waste Scotland chief executive Iain Gulland said: "As a nation, we need to rethink the way we make, buy, and use products and take action to consume more responsibly.

"Businesses have a key role to play in facilitating that shift, helping customers make more sustainable purchasing decisions while also contributing to a greener economy.

"With textiles responsible for such a significant chunk of the carbon footprint of Scotland's household waste, it's vital that we move away from a throwaway approach to products and materials and make things last instead."

The funding announcement comes shortly after the Scottish government launched two public consultations on proposals for a Circular Economy Bill and Route Map to 2025.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said the fund would help businesses in Scotland "turn their proposals into reality".

She said: "Every material that is wasted comes at a cost to our planet, but it's clear that textiles are having a disproportionate environmental impact.

"From fashion to furniture, there are huge opportunities for businesses with creative ideas to help address that problem."

The initiative has been welcomed by companies already contributing to the circular economy.

Andrew Rough, chief executive of Glasgow-based Advanced Clothing Solutions, which offers a clothing rental service to retailers, said: "If we can get as much support as possible from the government, that will really help us to change the mindset and get people to think about rental and resale.

"We still rent out some kilts that we have had since 1997, so renting is really good from an economic perspective.

"We've got some items that we've rented out 50 to 100 times. When you think about that compared to a traditional model, it is very profitable for our customers."