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A cross-sectional partnership to achieve a long-term, scalable transition to a circular fashion system

The Circular Fashion Partnership is a cross-sectorial project led by Global Fashion Agenda with project partners REVERSE RESOURCES and BGMEA, to accelerate the transition to a circular fashion industry, by demonstrating a Circular Fashion Business Case in Bangladesh. The project is made possible in collaboration with P4G.

The partnership is currently open to join & facilitates circular commercial collaborations between global fashion brands, textile and garment manufacturers and recyclers to develop and implement new systems to capture and direct post-production fashion waste back into the production of new fashion products. In addition, the partnership tests solutions for the COVID-19 related pile-up of deadstock.

A successful business case will demonstrate a decrease in textile waste and increase the use of recycled fibres, distributing value throughout the fashion value cycle and generating economic benefits in Bangladesh by accelerating the fibre recycling market.

Circular Fashion Partnership Approach

Our Approach

The partnership consists of two workstreams and participants choose to work on either or both. Participants initially commit to stage 1. Once that stage has been completed, stage 2 will be explored. Three CORE PARTNERS: GFA, Reserve Resources and BGMEA are involved in the realisation of the initiative and support participants throughout.

Workstream One: Circular Fashion Business Waste Model 

Scaling up the circular production of new garments made from post-production waste streams such as textile scraps in Bangladesh.

Stage 1: Traceability and recapturing of waste streams
Manufacturers in Bangladesh work together with partner brands and with support of Reverse Resources to set up segregation of waste cuttings within their facility. Manufacturers sell contamination-free, higher-value waste at a premium price through a streamlined handling process. The waste streams are matched with a recycling solution, offering a ‘one-stop-solution’ with traceability to all involved parties.

Stage 2: Circulating waste back into the value chain
After the waste streams are rerouted to recycling solutions, project participants will evaluate the opportunity to circulate these waste streams back into production. The material price will be moderate (not exceeding virgin), fully traceable and at the highest achievable quality. Product samples can be developed, and testing performed as per brand participants requirements

Workstream Two: Circular Fashion Stock Marketplace

Co-create and implement a Circular Fashion Stock Marketplace solution for deadstock fabrics piled up as a result of COVID-19 in Bangladesh. 

Stage 1: Identifying challenge & opportunity
Brands, manufacturers, recyclers, agents, warehouses and for instance waste handlers based in Bangladesh provide insights through an (when preferred anonymous) survey on the current deadstock and overstock build-up. Interviews are conducted and data is gathered to map & analyse the current situation, identifying challenges and initial solutions.

Stage 2: Identifying business case & designing solution for scale
Marketplace solutions are developed and tested with project participants. Matchmaking sessions are planned to trial trades and understand the business value of the solutions.

Partners

Global Fashion Agenda leads the Circular Fashion Partnership in collaboration with Reverse Resources and BGMEA and with support of P4G; Cyclo is an affiliate partner.

Participants

Over 30 renowned fashion brands, manufacturers and recyclers are collaborating in the Circular Fashion Partnership.

Brands:

Bershka, Bestseller, C&A, Gina Tricot, Grey State, H&M Group, Kmart Australia, Marks & Spencer, OVS, Pull & Bear, Peak Performance and Target Australia

Manufacturers:

Amantex, Asrotex Group, Auko-tex Group, Aurum Sweaters, Beximco, Bitopi Group (Tarasima), Composite Knitting Industry Ltd., Crystal International Group Limited, Echotex, , Fakir Knitwear, GSM, J.M. Fabrics, Knit Asia, MAS Intimates, Ratul Group (Knitwear & Fabric), Salek Textiles, S. B Knite Composite (Sankura Dyeing and Garments) and the Northern Group

Recyclers:

Birla Cellulose, BlockTexx, Cyclo, Infinited Fiber Company, Malek Spinning Mills, Marchi & Fildi Spa, Lenzing AG, Recovertex, Renewcell, Saraz Fibre Tech, Usha Yarns Limited and Worn Again Technologies

Events

Circular Fashion Event

In November 2020, we marked the launch of the 2020 CIRCULARITY FASHION SYSTEM COMMITMENT Final Report which concludes the progress made by signatories towards their targets set in 2017, highlighting key activities, barriers and initiatives. During the launch event, we also kicked off the new Circular Fashion Partnership in Bangladesh. 

Re-watch the circular fashion event here:

Learn More and Get involved

All brands and manufacturers working in Bangladesh & global recycling solutions are eligible to join the Circular Fashion Partnership. There is no cost for participation, but participants are required to contribute moreover their team’s time and expertise and to collaborate. 

E-mail cfp@globalfashionagenda.com to request a Brand / Manufacturer or Recycler Memorandum of Understanding that outlines the activities, roles & responsibilities.

Additionally, GFA is engaging stakeholders in Bangladesh, policy makers and investors. E-mail cfp@globalfashionagenda.com to express interest and learn more. 

You can also check out our FAQ page here.

Faces behind the partnership

Circular Fashion Partnership
Circular Fashion Partnership
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12th October Day 1
  • 3:00 — 4:15 PM CEST
    CFS ORIGINALS

    CFS Originals are pre-produced segments created by Global Fashion Agenda; they will take you behind the scenes, where you can meet the creative minds shaping our industry. CFS Originals is designed to provide entertainment, engagement, and education for all viewers.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #CFS+

    The significant challenges and uncertainty posed by COVID-19 led Global Fashion Agenda to revise its plan to deliver Copenhagen Fashion Summit this year. In its place, we present CFS+: a content platform to bring together our international community. But there’s much more to CFS+ than simply an online conference…

    Re-watch here

    As Global Fashion Agenda’s patron, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, joins Eva Kruse for a personal chat on shaping the global sustainability agenda. Reflecting on the year that has been so far, they explore industry transformation and collaboration, insisting that the only future for the fashion industry is a sustainable one.

    Re-watch here

    As an Artist, Designer and Founder of NY-based fashion brand EMME, Korina Emmerich’s colourful work is known to reflect her Indigenous heritage stemming from The Coast Salish Territory, Puyallup tribe. This Real Talk gets to the heart of her values; arguing that ethics must be the forefront of our business, not just marketing and profitability.

    Re-watch here

    In this segment, Heron Preston, Creative Director and Founder of HERON PRESTON reimagines the process of developing sustainable footwear. Watch his sport- and workwear-inspired vision for fashion combined with an inventive approach to production that’s new to both the industry and his own design practice.

    Re-watch here

    Two of our time’s trailblazing female leaders Samata Pattinson, CEO of Red Carpet Green Dress, and Omoyemi Akerele, Founder and Executive Director of Lagos Fashion Week and Founder of Style House Files, meet to discuss fashion’s influence on lifting the African continent, social justice and privilege, policy, and the broader definition of value. Together, they highlight provocative questions that lead to powerful answers and a call to action for change. This progressive and personal discussion takes place in the intimate setting of The Conduit in London, a space for people passionate about positive impact.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #redesigningvalue

    What do we mean when we talk about Redesigning Value? In fashion, this concept is linked to systemic processes, which many are calling to transform in 2020 and beyond, in order for the industry to become truly sustainable. We believe fashion can do better than its current track record, and further that we can find new opportunities for both a more sustainable and a more prosperous business. This explainer gets to the heart of the CFS+ headline theme – exploring value from social to sartorial while stopping at a few key points on the way – and diving into new ideas of how value can be redesigned.

    Re-watch here

    “Why can’t fashion respect its non-negotiable planetary boundaries?” Eva speaks with Professor Kate Fletcher from the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at University of the Arts London to dig deeper into Earth Logic: her approach to fashion + sustainability – which is a real strategy for Redesigning Value that firmly places planet and people first.

    Re-watch here

    With the current linear economy devastating the fashion industry, how do we introduce a larger degree of circularity in the fashion industry? Besides causing the degradation of our natural environment, research shows that shifting to a circular economy could unlock $4.5 trillion on global economic growth. This explainer will show how you can help the fashion industry shift towards a more circular approach through connected products.

    Re-watch here

    Jide Osifeso combines his commitment to mitigating ocean plastic with the vision of his contemporary menswear brand, HYMNE, which is grounded in his interest in the study of clothing’s functional and artistic utility. Through his creative practice, Jide Osifeso demonstrates how fashion can Redesign Value through clothing.

    Re-watch here

    Born in Nepal with no knowledge of her birthday or age, Nasreen Sheikh shares her story at CFS+. After surviving years of child slave labour in the garment industry, Nasreen Sheikh is now an Advocate for Women’s Empowerment and the Founder of Local Women’s Handicrafts in Nepal. She turns trauma into power with this Real Talk.

    Re-watch here

    Bill Foudy leads sourcing and development for Target’s Owned Brands with a focus on delivering responsibly sourced products of high quality and value. Eva Kruse will meet the Target SVP and President (Owned Brand Sourcing and Development) for an in-depth conversation about steering through the COVID-19 crisis and how to keep innovating and delivering ‘value’ for workers and customers through challenging times.

    Re-watch here

    Under the headline theme of Redesigning Value, we’ve invited a varied community of global fashion leaders to share their insight, experience and pioneering perspective. All 62 carefully selected voices from around the world are given the same set of questions for thoughtful responses.

    The Next Gen Voices format, presented by Pandora, gathers a varied collection of thoughts and viewpoints from a selected group of previous Youth Fashion Summit participants. The Youth Fashion Summit is an international sustainability platform for fashion students, founded in 2012 by Global Fashion Agenda. Every year, this growing community convenes to generate ideas and demands to the industry, and here within Next Gen Voices, the same spirit remains from a selection of passionate young leaders.

    Join Nike Master Trainer Branden Collinsworth for ten minutes of mindful movement, breath work and mobility. Designed to energise the CFS+ community, this session will equip you with the tools you need to integrate breathing techniques and mobility into your daily life.

    Re-watch here
  • 4:15 — 5:50 PM CEST
    PLENARY
    Category
    #climatechange #biodiversity #circularity

    The Fashion Pact, the CEO-led coalition representing one-third of the fashion industry worldwide, shares a first update around its three pillars: climate, biodiversity and oceans.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #systemchange #redesign

    The industry’s current path of production and consumption, driven by short-term returns and economic growth, will not only imperil the safety and dignity of countless communities around the world, but will endanger our very existence on this planet. There is a path forward, however, and the industry must now work together to redesign its business model and rethink power dynamics to redefine what is valued and how.

    This session will explore what needs to be done.

    Re-watch here
  • 4:15 — 6:15 PM CEST
    ROUNDTABLE [BY INVITATION ONLY]
    Category
    #consumption #systemchange #transparency

    The objective of this roundtable is to provide industry and European Commission representatives with the opportunity to discuss the various options envisaged for upcoming political and legislative measures on product transparency designed to ensure efficient sustainability claims at product and brand level. It is a key topic concerning the matter of trust and the importance of creating a level playing field for the apparel and footwear industry.

  • 5:55 — 6:25 PM CEST
    BREAKOUTS I - CHOOSE ONE BELOW TO ATTEND
    Category
    #newmaterials #redesign

    Creative Director Jide Osifeso created waste in his past through the production of concert merchandise and other clothing and accessories, but he has shifted his approach to championing sustainable methods through his contemporary menswear brand, HYMNE. This case study will dive into how Jide Osifeso solved his challenge to mitigate ocean plastic through production of a tracksuit alongside Parley for the Oceans.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #systemchange #redesign

    The panel discussion will surround the topic of “stakeholder” capitalism, generally, and within a fashion context. The topic will be approached from two angles: (i) investors taking a broader approach to the concept of “stakeholders”, thereby signalling a shift to look beyond shareholders, and (ii) companies pursuing strategies that elevate “purpose” in response to growing investor sentiments and COVID-19, as well as the racial injustice movement that is sweeping the world.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #biodiversity #circularity

    Regenerative farming can unlock positive gains for the environment, people and businesses. In this session, Kering will showcase its latest thinking and action in regenerative agriculture. Joined by the Wildlife Conservation Society the session will take a deep dive into the South Gobi Cashmere Program in Mongolia to concretely illustrate improved ecosystem management in practice. The session will also discuss the newly launched Kering for Nature Fund, which aims to transform one million hectares of existing agricultural land into one using regenerative practices.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #equality #transparency

    We see a gap between current sustainability efforts, where basic compliance is frequently both the floor and the ceiling for buyers, and where our industry needs to be to achieve true change – while also being successful within the planetary boundaries. This journey takes time, and we want to help textile retailers overcome some of the initial business barriers by sharing learnings from H&M Group’s journey to leading the change, along with the perspective of Tarasima Apparels, a long-term supplier partner.

    Re-watch here
  • 6:30 - 7:00 PM CEST
    BREAKOUTS II - CHOOSE ONE BELOW TO ATTEND
    Category
    #circularity #newmaterials

    How do you bring fashion full circle through circular innovation at scale, without compromises? We need to take action now to create collaborative solutions for a better future.

    Learn about circularity at scale – where resources are not wasted, materials that would otherwise be discarded are reused, and air and water are not polluted. Join to find out about Eastman Naia™ Renew, a new solution for circularity, sourced from 60% wood pulp and 40% recycled waste plastics.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #climatechange #impactfree

    GANNI took part in an SDG Accelerator programme launched by UNDP and aiming to accelerate business solutions with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our ambition was to create a 100% impact free collection. We took a holistic approach, working across departments. This resulted in an internal sprint process that generated information sharing across all ends of the business and accelerated our use of sustainable fabrics (organic, certified and recycled) across seasons from just 4% in July 2019 to 52,5% in August 2020, completely reinventing our way of creating a responsible supply chain from within.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #systemchange #transparency

    As a platform Zalando wants to create industry alignment through the adoption and acceleration of a global standard for sustainability performance to provide customers with clear and transparent sustainability information. The Higg Brand & Retail Module (Higg BRM), developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), enables apparel industry brands to compare social and environmental sustainability performance. Together, they drive collective impact and develop a common language for sustainability standards in the fashion industry.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #equality #systemchange

    CEO James Bartle, Professor Kevin Bales and Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey explore and evaluate the workings and outcomes of an impact-led business with positive human and ecological transformation at its core. The potential for industry change and how policy makers can create a better framework to facilitate this change will also be addressed.

    Re-watch here
13th October Day 2
  • 3:00 - 4:15 PM CEST
    CFS Originals

    CFS Originals are pre-produced segments created by Global Fashion Agenda; they will take you behind the scenes, where you can meet the creative minds shaping our industry. CFS Originals is designed to provide entertainment, engagement, and education for all viewers.

    Click below to add the full 3:00 - 4:15 PM CEST Originals segment to your calendar, and scroll down to learn about each segment of CFS Originals.

    Re-watch here

    Gucci President and CEO, Marco Bizzarri, is one of our industry’s leaders driving change. Having launched the CEO Carbon Neutral Challenge late last year, he’s making bold commitments for Gucci - and leading by example with Gucci's own climate strategy. Eva Kruse will virtually meet Marco Bizzarri for an honest conversation about value, nature, tackling the climate crisis in the wake of COVID-19 and what’s needed next.

    Re-watch here

    Fashion is fun, fabulous and fancy, but did you know that fashion is also closely linked to biodiversity? This explainer explores the substantial negative impact that the fashion industry has had on the total variety of life on Earth, known as biodiversity. From there, it goes one step further by explaining how fashion can evolve from being part of the problem to being part of the solution – by highlighting different solutions.

    Re-watch here

    Together with her Co-Founder Amrit Kumar, Mriga Kapadiya is the Co-Founder, Creative Director and CEO of NORBLACK NORWHITE, a women-led, creative house and fashion label based in India. Systematic transformation drives Mriga Kapadiya’s Real Talk message, which celebrates the grey space of culture through style by shifting corporate success to a holistic approach.

    Re-watch here

    High volume fashion and planetary boundaries collide in an important conversation, framed by the theme Redesigning Value, from two different stakeholder positions; Helena Helmersson, CEO of H&M Group, meets Professor Johan Rockström, Director of Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. This intimate and in-depth discussion takes place in Helena’s summer house in the Swedish forest.

    Re-watch here

    Can the idea of equal partnerships change the industry mindset and advance collective progress? This explainer digs deeper into two different types of supply chain partnerships: Transactional vs. Relationship based. Watch and learn what it takes for the industry to shape a common future stitched solidly together with trust and equal partnerships.

    Re-watch here

    Mostafiz Uddin, Managing Director of Denim Expert Ltd. and Founder and CEO of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) will be representing the voice, culture and experience of millions of garment makers and factory owners during the pandemic. Mostafiz Uddin is meeting Eva Kruse in this essential discussion about equal partnerships and how to build mutually beneficial relationships.

    Re-watch here

    As one of the strongest voices on the need for equal partnerships in the value chain, Delman Lee, President and Chief Technology Officer of TAL Apparel Limited joins Eva Kruse for a conversation on what needs to change in the relationship between buyers and manufacturers to accelerate sustainability. This discussion will also go deeper into understanding how to forge better and more mutually rewarding partnerships.

    Re-watch here

    As her namesake brand Ahluwalia, which is known for exploring vintage and deadstock clothing, Priya Ahluwalia’s understanding of the industry’s circularity challenge drives this segment. Watch her incorporate stunning design elements from her dual Indian-Nigerian heritage and London roots with ground-breaking new labelling tech.

    Re-watch here

    Clare Farrell is a full-time Activist and Campaigner based in London and one of the Founders of Extinction Rebellion. Leadership, honesty and ancestry of planet Earth are all featured topics here, while a devotion to personal liberty drives this Real Talk through power imbalance and climate collapse.

    Re-watch here

    Under the headline theme of Redesigning Value, we’ve invited a diverse community of global fashion leaders to share their insight, experience and pioneering perspective. All 62 carefully selected voices from around the world are given the same set of questions for thoughtful responses.

    The Next Gen Voices format, presented by Pandora, gathers a varied collection of thoughts and viewpoints from a selected group of previous Youth Fashion Summit participants. The Youth Fashion Summit is an international sustainability platform for fashion students, founded in 2012 by Global Fashion Agenda.

    Every year, this growing community convenes to generate ideas and demands to the industry, and here within Next Gen Voices, the same spirit remains from a selection of passionate young leaders.

    Take a deep breath and find your center with Nike Master Trainer Branden Collinsworth as he leads the CFS+ community through a guided meditation, crafted to provide a moment of reflection and intention-setting.

    Re-watch here
  • 4:15 - 5:50 PM CEST
    PLENARY
    Category
    #climatechange

    Global Fashion Agenda and McKinsey & Company launched the Fashion on Climate report, concluding that if the fashion industry continues on its current path, it will miss the 2030 emissions reduction targets by 50%, thus generating twice the volume of carbon emissions required to reach the Paris Agreement.

    The Fashion on Climate report provides the underlying foundation for discussing this topic, and the panel will offer dynamic interaction, demystifying numbers and terminology while encouraging an open, organic exchange between participants.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #systemchange #consumption

    The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored that the fashion industry system is broken – with overproduction, excessive discounting and an unsustainable calendar ill-suited to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. How can key players within the system collaborate to re-imagine how the industry can operate within planetary boundaries and be more inclusive and humane?

    Re-watch here
  • 4:15 – 6:15 PM CEST
    ROUNDTABLE [BY INVITATION ONLY]
    Category
    #redesign #equality

    The German EU Presidency has informally expressed a wish for “a smart mix of voluntary and mandatory measures and a smart mix of governmental and entrepreneurial measures” in the harmonisation of due diligence standards in the EU. The European Commission is also drafting a legislative proposal, with a draft report ongoing at the European Parliament level.

    This roundtable aims to better understand these wishes and to provide initial input from the industry to EU institutions.

  • 5:55 – 6:25 PM CEST
    BREAKOUTS I - CHOOSE ONE BELOW TO ATTEND
    Category
    #newmaterials #redesign

    Tap into how the creation of a 100% 3D printed sneaker was conceived and made possible despite limitations posed by the pandemic – through a cross-border collaborative effort from Creative Director Heron Preston (New York), Designer Daniel Bailey (London) and Engineer Cornelius Schmitt (Hamburg).

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #systemchange #redesign

    How can the fashion sector grow out of growth and transition to a world of LESS? The authors of Earth Logic, Professors Kate Fletcher and Mathilda Tham, talk to three leaders of change: an ecological economist, an entrepreneur and a journalist to get to the crux of LESS, including its economic implications, worker impacts and shifting behaviours.

    Join us in a game-changing exploration of Earth Logic, which examines why less is needed, how it can be done and who can do it.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #equality #systemchange

    The COVID-19 Garment Industry Call to Action is a set of shared commitments by actors across the sector to address the crisis created by the pandemic. The commitments define priorities that include speeding access to emergency financing for both workers and employers and establishing stronger health and social protections to contribute to a more resilient industry in the future.

    During this deep dive case study, we will discuss the achievements of the effort to date, as well as the challenges ahead.

    Stream here
    Category
    #equality #systemchange

    COVID-19 has had an immeasurable impact on the fashion industry. With the quick shift to remote engagement, including corporate offices moving to remote work and factory audits taking place offsite – what are the implications for the future of work? How is the resulting explosion of digitalisation driving sustainability improvement across the value chain?

    Join Li & Fung, Fung Group and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to explore the pandemic’s impact on work and hear how Li & Fung is unlocking opportunities for improved sustainability via digitalisation.

    Re-watch here
  • 6:30 – 7:00 PM CEST
    BREAKOUTS II - CHOOSE ONE BELOW TO ATTEND ONE
    Category
    #circularity #transparency

    Ahluwalia is known for exploring vintage and dead stock clothing, taking elements from the Creative Director’s dual Indian-Nigeran heritage and London roots. Priya Ahluwalia’s understanding of the industry’s difficulties within circularity drives her challenge on how to enable circular systems.

    This case study unlocks the vision behind her challenge, together with in-depth knowledge around how tech can enable circularity, presented by Michael Colarossi, VP of Innovation, Product Line Management and Sustainability at leading material science and innovation company Avery Dennison.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #systemchange #consumption #transparency

    The Higg Index is designed to enable transparency. The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and Higg Co have been working with brands and retailers on consumer-facing transparency pilots to understand how consumers react to sustainability performance data on a product level. Consumers report that they are interested in sustainability information on products, but they do not yet use the data to drive their purchasing behaviours.

    This session will discuss the future of Higg transparency and the learnings from testing it, as well as showcasing some examples.

    Re-watch here
    Category
    #climatechange #equality

    The case study will not only outline Timberland’s 2030 vision but also share insights into how the brand arrived at the bold goals that will drive its agenda for the next decade: from consumer insights and strategic frameworks, to supply chain partnerships and materials innovations and all the challenges faced along the way.

    Through this case study, Timberland hopes to inspire other brands and companies to pursue meaningful sustainability targets and work collectively towards a greener future.

    Re-watch here