With deep industry collaborations and dedication to accessible data, the new tool World of Waste brings the fashion industry closer to its long-sought promise of a circular economy.
Each year, the fashion industry churns out around 92 million tonnes of textile waste, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Over 87 percent of the material used in clothing ends up in landfills or incinerators, as reported by the BBC, with less than one percent of clothing recycled into new garments. This staggering amount of waste not only burdens landfills but contributes to about ten percent of global carbon emissions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme, and threatens to intensify as fast fashion accelerates.
A new tool, World of Waste, could transform these troubling statistics by centralizing global data on textile waste, giving recyclers, policymakers, and fashion brands an actionable resource to drive change. Created by Fashion for Good with funding from Laudes Foundation and IDH, and in collaboration with partners including Reverse Resources, Global Fashion Agenda, Circle Economy, and Accelerating Circularity, the platform aims to dismantle the bottlenecks caused by scattered, unstandardized waste data. By aggregating information on waste types, volumes, and regional hotspots, World of Waste offers a clear roadmap for industry players to reduce waste and incorporate circular practices.
“This collaborative effort brings together key industry partners to empower recyclers and innovators with insights into waste volumes and compositions, helping turn waste into valuable resources and accelerating the shift towards a more circular and sustainable fashion industry,” says Katrin Ley, Managing Director of Fashion for Good. This online database will allow recyclers to strategically source feedstock, cutting down reliance on virgin fibers and helping brands pivot toward circularity with a science-backed approach.
For decades, textile waste data has been scattered across various reports, studies, and platforms, with each entity often working in isolation. Without a cohesive data source, recyclers, manufacturers, and policymakers have had to make critical decisions without a clear picture of where and what type of textile waste exists. By aggregating this information and making it freely accessible, World of Waste bridges the gap, offering essential data on waste quantities, compositions, and collection methodologies, as well as linking to the original studies. The platform will also integrate regional waste insights, providing policymakers with the data they need to craft localized, evidence-based regulations.
Pramit Chanda, Global Director of Textiles & Manufacturing at IDH, explains, “This initiative is the first of its kind, aiming to create a global database of textile waste availability. It will serve as a vital tool for industry stakeholders, offering both a comprehensive view and detailed insights to inform business decisions. By consolidating data, the platform will unlock opportunities to optimize sourcing and enhance the recycling ecosystem, empowering recyclers, brands, and retailers to innovate, streamline operations, and drive efficiency in textile waste management for a more sustainable industry.”
World of Waste is not only about data collection but also aims to foster connections across the industry. Recyclers, designers, and innovators now have a reliable foundation of information that allows them to collaborate effectively, while brands and retailers can tap into waste streams that align with their production needs. With this tool, stakeholders can align their sustainability goals with available resources, making recycling and upcycling initiatives more feasible.
In addition, World of Waste has the potential to support policy reform. Countries and regions can analyze waste compositions and volumes, using this data to set mandates and encourage sustainable practices across the fashion supply chain. The platform’s capacity to act as a policy guide offers a unique angle that pushes the conversation beyond recycling toward a reimagining of waste as a resource with intrinsic value. This database not only presents waste hotspots but also allows governments to strategize with purpose, targeting efforts where they are most needed.
Anita Chester, Head of Fashion at Laudes Foundation, emphasizes the power of informed intervention, saying, “Access to deep data to accurately determine where and how to intervene will be the real unlock in solving the mounting issue of waste generated across fashion’s supply chain. Ultimately, we know that better informed and more cohesive efforts between actors will lead to increased (financial and non-financial) support to scale innovations, industry proactively investing to transform their supply chains, and policy creating the enablers to support the transition to an inclusive and circular fashion industry.”
As the platform continues to expand, World of Waste plans to integrate data from additional countries and include new types of waste, building a truly global perspective on textile waste management. With this, the industry gains a dynamic tool that evolves alongside its challenges, offering increasingly granular data as waste streams, policy requirements, and recycling technologies change. By making this data accessible, World of Waste helps every link in the chain — from policy to production — align with sustainability goals.
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