Towards Zero Fashion Waste Market Study 2022 

At Singapore Fashion Council, we promote circularity in the fashion industry through responsible production, responsible consumption and by closing the loop. Whether it be as consumers, corporations, or the community, there are many different pathways for us to contribute towards zero fashion waste.

There are many opportunities to be part of this collective action:

Reduce

  • Conscious fashion consumption
  • Recycling and collection initiatives
  • Education and engagement initiatives

Reuse

  • Business models on rental
  • Business models on resale
  • Business models on repair and / or refurbishment / redesign

Repurpose

  • Design and creation of new products​​
  • Upcycling​​
  • Business models on upcycling​

Recovery

  • Collection and sorting textile waste​
  • Materials recovery and processing technologies​
  • Business models on post-recycled materials​
  • Closed-loop recycling

Resource

  • Conversion of textile waste to energy​
  • Conversion to biofuels

In Support of

The fashion and textile industry casts an outsized shadow on our planet, accounting for roughly 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions—surpassing the combined carbon footprint of France, UK, Germany, and Japan. A comprehensive market study by Singapore Fashion Council (SFC) reveals an industry at a crossroads, facing mounting pressure to reinvent itself. 

Five critical factors are accelerating the need for change:

  1. Consumer Preferences: As sustainability awareness grows, brands find that environmental credentials are becoming essential for market relevance and price positioning.
  2. Financial Scrutiny: The investment landscape is shifting dramatically, with 91% of banks now monitoring ESG factors and rewarding stronger environmental performers with better financing terms.
  3. Regulatory Evolution: While specific textile regulations in Southeast Asia remain limited, global standards and industry initiatives are steadily pushing toward more sustainable practices.
  4. Market Expansion: With the global fashion industry projected to grow at 6% annually over the next five years, its environmental impact threatens to increase proportionally.
  5. Insufficient Progress: Despite widespread recognition of sustainability’s importance, only 8% of brands have positioned it at the core of their strategy, and sustainable fibers represent less than 13% of global production.

For Singapore to align with global climate goals, its fashion sector must achieve a 50% emissions reduction (1,846 kilotonnes) by 2030. The study identifies high-impact opportunities across the value chain, from decarbonizing energy sources and reducing wet processing to increasing sustainable material adoption and building circular business models.

Success will depend on four fundamental approaches:

  • Developing sustainability strategies tailored to each brand’s unique positioning
  • Implementing the waste hierarchy that prioritizes prevention over disposal
  • Creating effective partnerships between industry and regulators
  • Supporting SMEs in overcoming barriers to ESG transformation

The path forward faces specific challenges—consumer price sensitivity, textile recycling complexities, and ESG talent shortages—underscoring the need for coordinated action that spans the entire fashion ecosystem.

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