The Nature of Fashion: Case Study Report

Circle Economy drives the shift from linear, wasteful textile systems to circular practices through research, data analysis, and capacity building. Our work in the Nature of Fashion initiative focuses on understanding textile waste volumes, analysing value chain solutions, and assessing socioeconomic impacts to accelerate circularity in global textile value chains.

This report summarises insights from Netherlands pilot, redefining how to manage low-value, mixed textile waste. The project explores how unsellable textiles typically destined for incineration can be transformed into regenerative outputs through integrated biological and thermochemical processes. The project demonstrates feasible recycling solutions while creating a regional ecosystem where recovered materials continuously circulate within the economy, bridging waste management, industrial innovation, and market application.