Under the motto #ReFashionNow, the campaign attempts to address this problem, raising awareness about the environmental, social, economic and health-related benefits of transforming the textiles sector and the opportunities that sustainable fashion opens up for both businesses and consumers.
We have one goal: that in the long-term only the most sustainable products will reach the market here in Europe.
At a kick-off event in Antwerp today, designers, industry representatives, fashion sustainability experts, policy makers, young professionals from the textiles sector and students from around the EU will share the best sustainable fashion practices in Europe, discuss how to avoid greenwashing and the role of circular business models in driving fast fashion out of fashion.
They were engaging on the EU action on the textiles agenda, challenges faced by companies and SMEs, the social dimension of the textile industry, as well as the international angle and other areas of interest to young people.
Making textiles circular and sustainable is a whole-of-society endeavour.
Circular fashion benefits small business in particular, enabling them to offer new services, such as restoration, customisation and tailoring, and providing an increased customer base.
Global textiles production almost doubled between 2000 and 2015, and the consumption of clothing and footwear is expected to increase by 63% by 2030, from 62 million tonnes now to 102 million tonnes in 2030.
The EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles, adopted by the European Commission on 30 March 2022, addresses the production and consumption of textiles, whilst recognising the importance of the textiles sector.