Environment

Call for clothing industry to have product stewardship scheme

09:40 am on 22 April 2021

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The clothing and textiles industry is among the world's worst carbon-emitters - now the government is being urged to consider bringing textile recycling within its product stewardship scheme. Currently six products have been designated as a priority, including: plastic packaging, tyres, e-waste, agrichemicals, refrigerants and farm plastics. The fashion industry contributes 10 per cent of annual global carbon emissions - that's more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. And over 80 per cent of what we wear ends up at landfill here in New Zealand - or about 220,000 tonnes. Usedfully is a textile reuse company pushing for natural textile waste like cotton, linen and wool to be dealt with just like other organic material like paper, food and garden waste. Kathryn is joined by co-founder and creative director Bernadette Casey.

Photo: Supplied