A whole societal effort will be required to move away from fast fashion trends and the high consumption of textiles, a reuse and recycling charity has said.
The Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun, Dublin works to educate and advocate for a more circular economy.
The circular economy is a model of production and consumption that involves repairing, reusing and recycling products to extend their life.
"The issue is really in our buying patterns, our interest in consuming," said Rediscovery Centre CEO Claire Downey. "
"When it comes to where does our textiles go, we know that around two-thirds of the textiles that we get rid of are actually in the bin."
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Each Irish person consumes 53kg of new textiles every year, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2019.
The European average was 19kg per person in 2022, according to the European Environment Agency.
The fashion industry is one of the world's most polluting sectors, responsible for up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the UN has stated.
Fast fashion, the business model of producing clothes in bulk to meet changing trends, has stimulated more purchasing behaviour, Ms Downey said.
"What we're trying to do is move out of that space altogether and we need both the manufacturers and the retailers and citizens to buy into that. We need everyone on board with seeing fashion differently," she said.
Public consultation on circular textiles launched
A public consultation has been launched on circular textiles, which prioritises the more sustainable disposal of waste textiles and promotes the reuse or repair of items of clothing.
An improved collection system and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme are among the plans, Minister of State at the Department of Environment Alan Dillon said.
The EPR scheme will mean "that the textile industry will provide funding for the collection of used textiles", he said.
"We want to help people think about why we need to reduce how many textiles we're buying in the first place and then help show what you can do to keep them going for longer."
The department was currently assessing how to implement the scheme at an EU level, Mr Dillon said.
"They are putting through legislation now which they hope to enact by July of this year and that will give Member States up to 2028 to introduce their EPR scheme," he said.
"We've seen one already in France, but yes, this is a complex matter and it does need a multi-pronged approach."
EU design regulations are expected to be applied to fashion in the future, which would create rules around how easy clothes would be to repair and where components like zips could be sourced.
The Rediscovery Centre runs demonstrations and workshops to encourage people to repair or upcycle their own clothes through the Rediscover Fashion programme.
"We want to help people think about why we need to reduce how many textiles we're buying in the first place and then help show what you can do to keep them going for longer," said Ms Downey.
The programme teaches sewing and design but also works with corporate businesses to repurpose single-use items such as posters and banners.
'Entirely possible' textiles find their way into Africa - Dillon
There is "a huge lack of awareness" about what to do with old clothing, Mr Dillon said.
"As a Government and through this public consultation, we want to make it very obvious to give solutions," he said.
"Certainly we are either using it in a reuse or recyclable manner. Over 27% of it is reused and sold on, 9% of that is recycled and the rest is exported."
He said that textile policy currently is to export to many countries through established traders and other collectors.
"It's entirely possible that many of these textiles find their way into Africa or other countries, and at present the waste management industry in Ireland does rely on the export market to meet the processing needs and the volumes of textile waste that's being produced," said Mr Dillon.
"I think it's about looking at other solutions."
Charity shops and textile banks are the most common ways of recycling clothing, but a knowledge gap exists around how best to get rid of old clothes, said Oxfam Ireland Donated Goods Strategy Manager Mark Sweeney.
"We have a very strong charity shop sector in Ireland.
"There are a lot of people who are buying secondhand. So in terms of the reuse part of it, it is growing," he said.
There is enough clothing on earth for the next six generations, Mr Sweeney said, adding that Ireland is one of the highest consumers of textiles in Europe.
"That leaves us with a textile problem," he said.
There has also been an increase in the number of fast fashion items being donated to charity shops.
"You end up buying two or three different sizes and then people go guilt-free 'what I can do is I can donate it to a charity shop' which is great because we take all of the donations we can get but it's very difficult for us to sell something that costs €1.50 to buy online," said Mr Sweeney.
Investment in recycling infrastructure will be a key part of dealing with textile waste in the future, he said, where end-of-life clothes can be repurposed.
"Not necessarily more clothes, we have enough clothes. I think it's about looking at other solutions. There are some fantastic solutions out there."
In New Zealand and Australia, clothes have been turned into pellets to repair roads, while in mainland Europe they are used to make furniture and building materials.
"Textiles are unlike any other waste stream in that it's not a waste stream, because a lot of it can be recovered for reuse and what can't be recovered for reuse has other applications.
"Ireland just needs to look at that investment," he said.
