Nordic Talks Japan: Circular Economy and the Textile Industry-the Case of Fashion and SDG#12
How is the circular economy developing in the textile industry, and what are the bottlenecks in moving forward? What actions can we as individuals take towards sustainable fashion while we wait for a systematic change in the industry?
On November 25th we held our second Nordic Talks Japan series event, focusing on Circular Economy and the Textile Industry. The event was held at the Metsä Pavilion at the Finnish Embassy in Tokyo and was live-streamed through Zoom.
Welcome greetings were made by the Ambassador from Finland to Japan H.E. Pekka Orpana, and closing remarks by the Ambassador from Norway to Japan H.E. Inga M. W. Nyhamar. For the discussion we invited 3 experts in this field: Ms. Pirjo Kääriäinen, Professor of Design-driven Fibre Innovation, Aalto University, Finland, Mr. Gisle Mariani Mardal, Head of Development at Norwegian Fashion & Textile Action (NF&TA), Norway, and Dr. Daijiro Mizuno, Kyoto Institute of Technology KYOTO design lab Project Professor, Keio University SFC Graduate School of Media and Governance Visiting Professor, Japan. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Rico Iriyama, PR and Sales consultant at CPR Tokyo.
Below is a brief summary of the event (for the whole discussion, watch the recording below).
Approaching Circularity
Mardal started by pointing out that realizing a Circular Economy is much more than recycling. “It is about reducing over-production and over-consumption and tackling the issue of underutilization and the short life cycle of the garments produced. A study reveals we only wear each of our clothes only 4 times on average before letting it go. There is a huge potential in changing the ways we are dealing with textiles, and to do so, he believes we need a systematic change in the industry. “
Kääriäinen, having a background in material innovation, points out that although new technologies and innovations are evolving, they are not ready to be scaled up and widely used. “The problem is very complicated, but we need to hasten and have all the players from different layers involved for a systematic change.”
Mizuno points out the importance of considering the whole value chain. “Not only the material and production process but we also need to include consumer behavior and disposal in order to make a radical change. Also, recycled materials still do not fully meet the quality demands from the manufacturers (virgin materials are higher qualified). “
Educating Designers and Beyond
All 3 speakers agreed that education plays a big role in shaping the future of fashion.
Mizuno says, “There is a huge gap between what students are now learning and what is needed in real life. There should be environmental sustainability oriented fashion courses starting from undergraduate studies.”
Gisle mentions, “Fashion education needs to change in a way that matches the needs for the future. We also need education for companies.”
Kääriäinen points out, “Not only we need to educate designers but also textile engineers, chemists, business people, digital experts and everybody involved. We need teamwork, with the leader especially pushing the aspect of sustainability.”
Regulations Surround the Issue
Kääriäinen mentioned that in Finland a textile recycling plant will start working in 2023 and rules for textile recycling will be implemented. “The EU aims to do the same in 2025. There is plenty of hard work to be done for effective implementation.”
“In regards to recycling, alternative options may be necessary for functional finishing on the textile. For example, waterproof and fire-resistant finishings, and dying and printing processes may use a huge amount of chemicals, and these chemicals are obstacles for recycling.”
Gisle points out that the producer’s responsibility is becoming more important. “Producers will have to be responsible for the total lifecycle of the garment, and if they don’t comply with new rules and regulations, they will gradually lose out in the market. “
Mizuno points out the lack of an internationally validated comprehensive certification in the industry. “We need one that can prove the garment has gone through a life cycle assessment.”
Kääriäinen added, “Right now there are so many of these certifications with different purposes that it is making it difficult for consumers to choose what to rely on. Moreover, many of these certifications cost in order to obtain, so for smaller companies with limited budgets, it is harder to be certified.”
Small Steps We All Can Take
A final question came from the venue addressing all speakers: While waiting for a systematic change in the industry, what can individuals do to make even a small change? Here are the answers from each speaker.
Gisle: “Choose garments that you would cherish and wear, and can wear for a longer time, rather than something that you would wear only a few times and throw away. Be aware that you are paying for the true cost. “
Kääriäinen: “Love your garments. Also, learn from the past generation how they repaired and took care of their garments. Make emotional connections with your garments. Question your perfection: maybe we can accept garments with holes and frays.”
Mizuno: “Try to know the story behind the garment. Don’t choose a garment just to wear, try to understand the story behind it.”
Thank you for reading to the end!
If you found the article interesting, please listen to the whole discussion below. Also you can find a Japanese version of this report here.
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