Environment

Clothing waste: Does NZ need a tax on fast fashion?

17:30 pm on 9 June 2023

Listen

How many unwanted clothes do you toss out each year? In Australia its estimated to be anything up to 20kg per person that's dumped.

Now their government is threatening fashion retailers with a tax on garment sales if they dont sign up to a scheme aimed at stopping 200,000 tonnes of old clothes going to landfill each year.

The voluntary deal imposes a 4 cent levy on each garment sold; that goes to initiatives like sustainable design, recyling and resale of used clothes.

Our reporter Louise Ternouth hit the streets of Auckland to find out how much clothing folks chuck in the bin.

So does Aotearoa need a levy to deal with clothing waste? Mindful Fashion is a not for profit that promotes sustainability. Its programme Director Jacinta FitzGerald spoke to Lisa Owen.