The Global Circular Fashion Forum (GCFF) is a global initiative that is being established by Global Fashion Agenda to spur local action in textile manufacturing countries to accelerate and scale recycling of post-industrial textile waste  –an effort to achieve a long-term, scalable, and just transition to a circular fashion industry.

By mobilising industry stakeholders, investors, global brands and retailers, technology providers and others as well as by influencing policy environments and collecting, consolidating and disseminating best practices, the GCFF intends to establish the necessary ecosystem for scaling post-industrial textile waste recycling programs in manufacturing countries; locally owned and led, national Circular Fashion Partnerships (NCFPs).

Dive into our recent updates from our partnerships in Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Global Fashion Agenda together with its implementation partners Reverse Resources, Closed Loop Fashion, and Circle Economy, and funded by H&M Foundation, has officially launched the Circular Fashion Partnership: Indonesia, a new cross-sectoral initiative that aims to develop effective circular fashion systems by capturing and recycling post-industrial textile waste and support textile and footwear stakeholders in fostering a circular textile industry in the region. The partnership is in collaboration with national lead Rantai Tekstil Lestari (RTL) Indonesia, to help ensure that the programme is appropriately tailored to the local context, includes and benefits all necessary local stakeholders, aligns with the government’s strategy, and connects with the right ministries to bridge the identified policy gaps. In addition to the previously mentioned implementation and funding partners, private sector contributors are also supporting the initiative.

The launch event held in Jakarta on 3 October 2024, ‘Establishing Circular Textile Systems in Indonesia’, gathered over 100 leading experts and distinguished speakers from the Indonesian and global fashion and recycling industry, including representatives from Indonesia’s National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Environment & Forestry, the Danish Embassy, renowned brands such as H&M and Adidas, who all called for broader participation of brands, manufacturers, waste handlers, recyclers, and government bodies to participate in the collective action programme to achieve impact at scale.

Whilst in Indonesia, the team visited Recycle Raw, a waste collector that has been active in Bangladesh since 2015 and recently expanded its operations by establishing a post-industrial textile waste management facility in Tangerang, Indonesia in 2024.

At this facility, Recycle Raw specialises in collecting a diverse range of post-industrial textile waste from local clothing manufacturers and markets. Their commitment to sustainability encompasses all types of textile waste irrespective of composition or colour. The facility boasts a team of highly skilled textile workers who manually sort through approximately seven tonnes of materials each day, with the aim of 50 tonnes a day within 2025.

These workers are trained to identify specific material compositions, allowing them to make informed decisions about the best potential uses for each type of raw material. This careful segregation is crucial for ensuring that high-performance and high-quality yarn can be produced. To achieve this, Recycle Raw collaborates with various mechanical and chemical recycling methods, as well as upcycling practices, to transform waste into valuable resources for the textile industry.

The Advancing Post-Industrial Textile Waste Recycling for a Circular Supply Chain pilot project in Cambodia has successfully concluded its assessment, training, and implementation phases. The collaborative initiative between GIZ and GFA involved 12 brands and their associated 21 factories, successfully diverting 3000 tonnes of waste from landfill. Key insights and learnings were shared with project partners and will be available to the industry soon.

The pilot will transition into the Circular Fashion Partnership: Cambodia with preliminary activities commencing at the end of this year. Join the Global Circular Fashion Forum: Annual Exchange on Upstream Circularity to learn more.

Shining a spotlight on a highly relevant area within Cambodia’s garment, footwear, and textile (GFT) sector, GIZ launched their latest Sustainability Recommendation Paper, highlighting the rapid growth of wage digitalisation from just 22% in 2018 to 72% by 2024. The paper outlines key recommendations, including incorporating wage digitalisation into national strategies, supporting workers through financial literacy initiatives, and incentivising factories to adopt these practices without shifting costs onto workers. Download the full report HERE or the executive summary HERE.

Following the training on Waste Management delivered to 490 manufacturers in March – May 2024, the Waste No More (WNM) project took further strides from July to September 2024 by organising eight in-person Peer Workgroups (PWGs) across Vietnam. These PWGs united a diverse group of stakeholders, including 151 manufacturers, six waste facilities, and 13 brands, with the aim of fostering experience sharing and discussion on critical topics such as waste sorting at the source and waste data collection. These discussions aimed for key outcomes, including aligned waste targets and a more comprehensive implementation plan at the manufacturer level.

One of the pivotal developments during this period was the pilot testing of the Pre-Qualification (PQ) Tool, designed for assessing waste facilities. The collaborative atmosphere cultivated by WNM has promoted incremental improvements, laying the foundation for manufacturers and stakeholders to adapt to expected changes in Vietnam’s growing recycling infrastructure.

As Phase 1 of the Waste No More project approaches its conclusion in early 2025, GIZ and GFA are working together to chart the next steps for the initiative. The success of the pilot phase has sparked discussions on transitioning the project into a larger framework known as the Circular Fashion Partnership: Vietnam. This transition is currently undergoing validation and has already attracted the interest of several brands, showcasing the initiative’s potential to further advance sustainable fashion and waste management practices in Vietnam.

To learn more about GIZ’s and GFA’s collaboration on Establishing a Vision & Roadmap for Circular Fashion in Vietnam, download the full report here

The garment industry in Bangladesh has recently encountered a series of profound challenges, primarily stemming from ongoing political unrest and infrastructural issues. These obstacles have affected various operations within the industry, yet manufacturers associated with the Switch to Upstream Circularity Pilot and the Circular Fashion Partnership: Bangladesh partners including Bestseller, H&M, Teddy, OVS, Primark, and United Colors of Benetton, have continuously demonstrated remarkable resilience and commitment to sustainability. Noteworthy achievements include:

– Active Participation: A total of 36 facilities have actively engaged in the Circular Fashion Partnership, successfully registering their waste inventories and shipments on the Reverse Resource Platform. This involvement highlights their dedication to improving waste management practices.

– Waste Segregation: Since 2022, these facilities have segregated over 11,000 tonnes of post-industrial textile waste, effectively documenting this material in a systematic manner. Importantly, more than 5,000 tonnes of this waste has been digitally traced to textile-to-textile recyclers, indicating a proactive approach towards circularity and resource recovery.

– Increased Data Collection: The training on waste segregation provided by Reverse Resources has empowered these facilities to share detailed data about their waste composition on a regular basis. This collaborative effort enhances the understanding of waste characteristics and sets the stage for further advancements in recycling processes.

– Increased Transparency: In recent months, there has been a marked improvement in transparency regarding waste disposal methods. This change has provided valuable insights into how waste is currently utilised within suppliers’ facilities, enabling stakeholders to better understand and optimise waste management practices.

Overall, despite the challenging environment, these achievements reflect a commitment to sustainability and a forward-thinking approach in the Bangladeshi garment sector.

The Global Circular Fashion Forum will host their Annual Exchange on Upstream Circularity on Wednesday 11th December 2024, from 9:30am – 12:00pm CET. 

We invite all stakeholders involved in the circular value chain, as well as those interested in learning more to register here.