Transform textiles

We’re transforming the way that textiles are made, bought and used — decreasing emissions, lowering water use and cutting pollution.

TRANSFORMING THE WORLD'S TEXTILES SYSTEM

The textile sector is a significant contributor to the global economy. Woven through the fabric of society, it provides livelihoods for millions around the world. 

But globally, textile production and consumption is continuing to rise, driven by our current model of ‘take, make, use and dispose’. Systems underpinning the industry use many of the world’s most precious resources unsustainably, exploiting both people and nature in its wake.

WRAP has a vision for doing things differently. 

We are creating a circular economy for textiles to transform the way products are bought, used, and reused. We are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, slashing water use and tackling textile waste, as part of a socially just transition.

Working with industry leaders in the UK and globally to develop, share, and scale new practices and policies, we are challenging the status quo and helping the industry do business better. Please join us. 
 

The issues

93 billion cubic metres
93 billion cubic metres of water are used by the textiles industry every year.
336k
tonnes of clothing are sent to UK landfill or incineration annually
63%
Global apparel consumption is projected to rise by 63% by 2030.
8-10%
8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the fashion and textiles industry.

Priority actions for transforming textiles

Circular design for fashion and textiles

Circular design for fashion and textiles

WRAP is working with businesses to put lower impact clothing and home textiles on the market by supporting them to design products that are durable, made with safe and low impact materials, and that can be remade or recycled at the end of their life.

Circular business models for fashion and textiles

Circular business models for fashion and textiles

WRAP is supporting businesses through strategic projects, partnerships, and resources to implement new business models designed to extend product lifetimes and that enable companies to generate revenue from reuse rather than new product sales.

Closing the loop on materials

Closing the loop on materials

WRAP is collaborating with industry to enhance and scale up sorting and recycling infrastructure, and increase demand for recycled content, ensuring that more of our clothing and textiles are recycled into new textile products when they reach the end of their useful lives.

Driving consumer behaviour change in fashion and textiles

Driving consumer behaviour change in fashion and textiles

WRAP offers businesses valuable insights and messaging on how citizens purchase, use, and dispose of clothing and home textiles, helping them understand consumer behaviour and communicate effectively with customers to encourage more sustainable practices

Supporting textiles policy design and implementation

Supporting textiles policy design and implementation

WRAP provides evidence and insights to assist policymakers in designing effective policy interventions to reduce the environmental impact of textiles. Additionally, WRAP supports businesses in preparing for and complying with these policy measures once implemented.

Measuring the environmental footprint of fashion and textiles

Measuring the environmental footprint of fashion and textiles

WRAP supports businesses in their environmental reporting through exclusive access to our Footprint Tool, enabling them to measure the aggregate impact of the textile products they sell, track and forecast the impact of circularity actions, and measure progress towards ESG targets.

Delivering transformative change

  • Textiles 2030

    Textiles 2030

    Textiles 2030 is the UK’s leading voluntary initiative supporting businesses and organisations within the fashion and textiles industry to transition to more sustainable and circular practices by the end of the decade.

  • Textiles Action Network

    Textiles Action Network

    The Textiles Action Network unites national and regional textiles initiatives worldwide to exchange knowledge, share solutions, and work collectively towards a global objective of creating a circular economy for fashion and textiles.

  • LITAC Durability Research Project

    Durability Research Project

    WRAP is leading on a three-year research project with the Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour to develop updated durability protocols for clothing and textiles and industry-first benchmarks for durability and utilisation.

  • Automatic-sorting for Circularity in Textiles (ACT UK)

    WRAP is working as part of a consortium to develop and pilot the world’s first fully integrated, automated sorting and pre-processing plant for non-reusable textiles in the UK.

Progress and impact

To date, WRAP has helped the textiles industry avoid 3.2 million tonnes of CO2eq emissions.

  • Textiles 2030 Annual Progress Report 2021/22

    Textiles 2030 Annual Progress Report

    Through Textiles 2030, our shared mission is to catalyse the fashion and textile industry’s transformation from linear to circular. In just over a year and a half, more than 110 businesses and organisations, representing over 62% of all clothing products placed on the UK market, have signed up to come on this journey with us.

  • Driving circular fashion and textiles: ECAP summary report

    European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP) summary report

    This summary report explores the achievements of the four year ECAP (European Clothing Action Plan) project, part funded by EU LIFE. It signposts valuable resources including new guidance, white papers and key learnings which are available to inspire and inform any business or government, in any country.

  • SCAP 2020 Final report

    Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP) impact report

    The SCAP commitment set out to radically reduce the carbon, water and waste impact of the UK clothing and textiles industry. This report shows actions undertaken by signatories to achieve the targets, shares case studies and best practice, and highlights the learnings being taken forward into the next chapter; the bigger and more ambitious, Textiles 2030.

Join us in leading the change

Together we can make Circular Living a reality.

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