A study by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) reveals that clothing retailers are directly responsible for roughly 0.15 million tonnes of textile waste annually. This is often driven by unsold seasonal inventory and poor storage management.
However, around 2.5 million tonnes of textile waste occurs earlier in the production and supply chain before garments even reach retail stores, highlighting significant information gaps. Manufacturers are attempting to collaborate with retailers to mitigate this waste stream. This requires upgrading digital inventory systems to improve seasonal demand forecasting and optimizing logistics coordination.
At the final stage of the lifecycle, consumers discard approximately 4.5 million tonnes of clothing and textiles each year. This points towards irrational behaviour, where buyers discard items with minor wear or buy on impulse without consideration of longevity. In response, some apparel brands are hosting educational campaigns on garment maintenance, providing repair tutorials, and designing fabrics engineered for greater durability to help extend clothing lifespans.
Assess the extent to which 'information gaps' (Extract B) and 'irrational behaviour' (Extract B) are the main causes of textile waste in the UK.
