The H&M Foundation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, and Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) have launched the Upstream Circularity Playbook—a comprehensive guide to promote textile recycling in manufacturing nations.
This resource, available in six languages, provides practical insights and case studies to support circular practices in the apparel industry. It encourages businesses and governments to adopt models that add value to post-industrial waste—materials discarded during manufacturing processes such as spinning, weaving, and garment production.
The playbook focuses on improving waste management in the upstream stages of the fashion supply chain by enhancing processes such as waste sorting, separation, and recycling. It recommends segregating textile waste at manufacturing facilities to streamline recycling efforts and implementing digital systems to track waste materials for improved efficiency. Additionally, it emphasises the importance of collecting, aggregating, and classifying textile waste to maximise its reuse potential. The playbook also advocates matching waste with suitable reuse applications and designing new products using repurposed materials to promote sustainability within the industry.
The playbook showcases 21 case studies from countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, highlighting innovative organisations implementing circularity solutions. These examples demonstrate scalable approaches through collaboration with supply chain partners.
According to GFA’s Scaling Circularity Report, optimising existing recycling technologies could improve circularity in the textile sector by 80%, significantly reducing the industry’s reliance on virgin raw materials. This shift towards upstream circularity could transform post-industrial waste into valuable resources, advancing sustainability across the fashion industry.
