Seamless has released ‘Evidence for change: Australia's circular clothing future’, a new report that outlines the challenges facing the Australian clothing industry and provides recommendations for a national clothing system.
Drawing on new evidence from pilots, next markets research and policy analysis, the report outlines the opportunities, challenges and actions needed to address Australia’s growing clothing waste problem and transition to a mandatory, nationally coordinated clothing stewardship scheme.
It brings together data and findings generated through a program funded by the Australian Government. The program developed shared definitions for circular clothing terms, delivered seven pilots to trial the collection, sorting and recycling of unwearable clothing, and researched next markets for Australian recycled textiles. The outcomes from this work informed a policy, economic and financial analysis, with all elements evaluated to build this ‘Evidence for change’ report.
The evidence for change
The evidence from the pilot data and outcomes, next markets research and policy, economic and financial analysis highlights four key gaps in Australia's current linear clothing system:
1. There is no nationally coordinated system for collecting, sorting and recycling unwearable clothing, so landfill remains the primary destination.
2. Next markets for recycled clothing textiles are under developed, with demand for outputs still too early-stage to support commercially viable domestic recycling at scale.
3. There is no consistent national data framework to track clothing flows from production through to end of life, making it difficult to measure and report national progress.
4. There is no clear regulatory pathway, allowing free riding producers to persist while responsible producers bear the costs of establishing the system.
Recommendations
The evidence presented in the report leads to a clear conclusion: Australia needs a mandatory, nationally coordinated stewardship scheme to address clothing waste and enable a circular clothing economy.
While broader reform will take time, the report outlines four recommendations to build momentum now: piloting solutions to manage post-consumer clothing, developing next markets for recycled textiles, introducing compulsory data reporting and providing greater regulatory certainty.
A coordinated national approach
A coordinated national approach, led by Seamless and supported by industry and government, is what will shift clothing stewardship from voluntary to viable.
Implementing these recommendations provides a phased path to reducing textile waste, capturing the economic value of clothing and establishing global leadership in circular clothing stewardship.
The work ahead is shared, and so is the responsibility. Producers, collectors, reuse operators, recyclers, citizens and governments all have a role to play in building a system where clothing is intentionally designed, chosen thoughtfully, enjoyed fully and recovered responsibly.
Download the full report to explore the evidence, recommendations and implementation pathway for a national clothing system.
Looking for a quick overview? Download the executive summary.
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