The fashion and textile industry is one of the most polluting in the world, and it is estimated that, by 2050, it will account for up to 25% of the global carbon budget. Currently, over 70% of fabrics produced for clothing end up in landfills or are incinerated, while only 1% is recycled into new garments
In Italy, this sector has a significant impact on the national economy: in 2021, textile and clothing industry sales reached approximately 53 billion euros. With about 15,000 active companies, the Italian textile sector represents 25% of the total fashion industry production. 60% of these companies are located in Tuscany, Lombardy, Veneto, and Piedmont
To address these challenges, the EU Textile Strategy (2022) aims to strengthen competitiveness and innovation by promoting a European market based on a more circular textile industry. The goal is to create more durable, repairable, and recyclable products, prioritizing the use of recycled fibers.
Tondo, project initiator and coordinator, led the analysis with an approach based on advanced methodologies recognised nationally and internationally. The analysis focused on measuring circularity at the product, company and territory level, using tools that made it possible to observe the system holistically. Thanks to this methodology, strengths, criticalities and areas for intervention were identified, thus providing a complete picture of the dynamics at work. Tondo also monitored the progress of the companies involved, using this data to propose concrete solutions and targeted actions to improve the circularity of the sector.
Circular Threads is a study that analyzes the level of sustainability and circularity in the textile sector in Italy, aiming to develop a concrete and innovative project starting from the production districts. The research methodology consists of four phases:
methodology
Desk research – Analysis of the adoption of sustainable and circular practices by companies and the sector as a whole, also examining virtuous collaborations and partnerships.
2
Questionnaire – Collection of qualitative and quantitative data through closed and open-ended questions to understand companies’ perceptions of the circular economy and the implementation of sustainable practices.
Case Studies – Evaluation of the level of circularity at the company or product level to measure existing best practices.
Pilot Projects – Small-scale experimentation of innovative initiatives aimed at testing and validating sustainable solutions within companies or the entire sector.
numbers
The Desk Research phase involves the creation of a structured archive to analyze companies divided into three categories: Fashion Firms, Suppliers, and Startups. The goal is to evaluate the level of adoption of circular economy principles by collecting data from official sources such as websites, reports, and news articles. This analysis will allow for the comparison of company performance in terms of sustainability and the promotion of virtuous practices.
Suppliers
Fashion firms
Start-ups
SME suppliers
LE suppliers
SME fashion firms
LE fashion firms
Type of actions
Certifications
Categories
The Questionnaire represents the second methodological approach and aims to collect both quantitative and qualitative data, comparing them with the findings from the Desk Research phase.
The survey aims to provide a more in-depth understanding of the sector, identifying sustainability practices that are not always communicated, understanding the level of circular economy implementation, and highlighting any critical issues and progress.
12
Start-ups
30
SME suppliers
8
LE suppliers
4
Fashion firms
