The textile and apparel value chain is one of the most resource-intensive sectors, generating significant waste and relying heavily on a vulnerable workforce.
In recent years, businesses in this sector have adopted circular economy strategies to address sustainability challenges. However, most of these efforts focus on material efficiency and waste reduction, often neglecting social dimensions.
This PhD dissertation addresses this gap by exploring how to integrate social justice and equity into circular transitions at the business level. Through case studies in the Netherlands, Spain and India, it investigates how businesses can adopt circular practices inclusively and how policymakers can enable a more just circular transition.
The Makerspace Garage Association in Mostar has been active for a few years now. Having built up an impressive array of skills and modern technologies, the association decided to make what they do available to everyone in the city of Mostar. Result: thefirst Repair Café in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider Western Balkan region!
The EU-funded project NiCE – from niche to centre focuses on promoting circular lifestyles and sustainable consumption structures in city centres. Its final conference will transfer the knowledge built up during the project and promote networking among stakeholders, including during the Market of Opportunities where participants can present their city, organisation, activities or project.
SustainableSolutionsMatch empowers European businesses on their path to a sustainable and circular economy. It brings solution seekers and providers together to tackle real challenges and find practical answers.
Whether you're looking for innovative ideas or reliable partners, this event brings solution seekers and providers together to tackle real challenges and find practical answers.
Every year, our global economy consumes around 100 billion tonnes of resources — three quarters of which it cannot replenish. This reliance on a constant flow of virgin raw materials leaves our economies increasingly exposed to price shocks, supply disruptions and the universal inefficiencies of resource waste. One direct way to relieve this pressure is to keep materials circulating at their highest value.
Part of a policy series on accelerating the circular economy transition, this brief sets out a targeted approach to keeping materials in use. A focused mix of policies can promote design, business models, and incentives that favour reuse, repair and remanufacturing alongside regenerative practices such as cascading, composting and returning nutrients to soil.
Reuse activities are an essential part of the EU’s moves to tackle the growing waste crisis.
However, the current combined targets for reuse and recycling generally prioritise recycling. This disregards the fact that quantitative reuse and preparing-for-reuse targets are an essential policy tool to implement the EU’s waste hierarchy.
This report presents an overview of existing targets and a detailed look at 24 targets set in different product categories and waste streams. The policy recommendations will help policymakers as they shape the Circular Economy Act, the revised WEEE Directive and other relevant measures at EU level. They cover issues such as setting specific targets for product streams with high environmental impact and job creation potential.
This edition of Science for Environment Policy is a collection of seven previously published articles on scientific studies relevant to the circular economy. Read about battery collection, whether laypeople can really understand LCA data, chemical recycling and why people throw away clothing.
This webinar will look at how the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is affecting Indian textile and fashion suppliers exporting to the EU. It will explain what is involved and what exporters need to do to comply with the rules.
The distribution and consumption of second-hand clothing have evolved into a rapidly expanding market that spans multiple countries, some where these garments are worn, discarded and accumulated, and others where they are imported, distributed and consumed. The result is a complex network of North–South global circuits.
This report is the outcome of the GreenCCircuit project which aims to contribute to development education in the context of the circular economy in the textile and clothing sector in the Ibero-American space, particularly Mozambique and Mexico.
The report uses Portugal as an example of exporting countries, while Mozambique and Mexico are illustrative of recipient countries. It concludes that the social and economic aspects are both vital.
