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.
Circular Threads was created to analyse the sustainability and circularity of the Italian textile sector. The main objective is to identify the current state of the supply chain, highlighting opportunities for improvement and the main obstacles to the transition towards a more sustainable model. In a context where the Circular Economy plays an increasingly central role, the study aims to offer practical tools, data and useful hints to steer the sector towards more responsible and innovative practices.
The research examines how the industry has evolved since the first report in 2021, analysing how the Circular Economy is perceived within companies, the benefits of adopting circular models, and the challenges faced. An important aspect of the study is also the mapping of the connections between the different actors in the supply chain, highlighting specific expertise in Circular Economy and sustainability.
Project phases
With Circular Threads 2.0, the results of the first study were updated and expanded, focusing again on Northern Italy and then extending the analysis to a national level. The project took a more practical and operational approach, focusing on the implementation of concrete initiatives to accelerate the circular transition. The work was developed in three phases:
methodology
1
Desk research – Analysis of the level of 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 questions to understand companies’ perceptions of the circular economy and the implementation of sustainable practices.
3
Case studies – Evaluation of the level of circularity at company or individual product level, to measure best practices already in place.
4
Pilot projects – Collection of qualitative and quantitative data through closed and open questions to understand companies’ perceptions of the circular economy and the implementation of sustainable practices.
Desk research
numbers
The Desk Search phase involves the creation of a structured archive to analyse companies divided into Fashion Firms, Suppliers and Startups, assessing their adoption of Circular Economy criteria through data collected from websites, reports and news. The aim is to compare their performance in terms of sustainability and circularity, promoting sustainable 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
The Circular Threads 2.0 project has been funded by the European Union Next Generation EU
The Circular Threads 2.0 project has been funded by the European Union Next Generation EU