A project led by WRAP is aiming to reduce clothing waste across the European Union.
The European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP) is a €3.6 million (£2.64 million) EU Life funded pilot project that will work with brands, retailers, manufacturers, reuse and recycling organisations, charities and consumers to:
- Design and specify products for longer life and closed loop production
- Ensure that less clothing goes to incineration and landfill
- Encourage consumers to buy less clothing and use it for longer
- Improve innovation in resource-efficient design and service models to encourage business growth in the sector.
WRAP will work on the three-year project with MADE-BY, Rijkswaterstaat (part of the Dutch ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment), Danish Fashion Institute and LWARB to divert over 90 thousand tonnes per year of clothing waste from landfill and incineration across Europe by March 2019
Countries involved in ECAP include Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and UK. There are plans to expand further into Europe and Asia.
WRAP chief executive Liz Goodwin said: “Finding more sustainable ways to work with textiles is an area set to deliver huge benefits – both economic and environmental.
“To be leading on a project of this magnitude is something I am very excited about, and applying tried and tested approaches such as voluntary agreements and consumer campaigns across Europe, will really take our expertise to the next level. I look forward to watching this initiative progress.”
