Circular Economy in the Fashion Industry

Dear Colleagues,

The global fashion industry is resource intensive with large energy demands contributing to staggering levels (1.2 billion tons annually) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Fashion production and consumption utilize abundant natural resources, such as water and land—it is estimated that just textile processing uses nine trillion liters of water per year. This industry is also notorious for its use of hazardous chemicals throughout the supply chain (pesticides, dyes, finishes, etc.), negatively affecting the health of workers and aquatic ecosystems (Ellen MacArthur Foundation Report, 2017). With the billions of tons of clothing waste disposed of annually, majority of the world’s clothing waste ends up in landfills or incinerated, with only about 20% of fashion clothing being reused or recycled (Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2019 Update, 2019). Moreover, clothing sales has drastically increased in recent years—further intensifying the environmental consequences of the fashion industry. In 2014, an average consumer bought 60% more clothing than at the start of the 21st century. Additionally, it is estimated that the next decade will experience another 60% increase in global demand for FTC products (Greenpeace, 2016). 

A Circular Economy (CE) is “an industrial system that is restorative or regenerative by intention and design. It replaces the end-of-life concept with restoration, shifts towards the use of renewable energy, eliminates the use of toxic chemicals, which impair reuse, and aims for the elimination of waste through the superior design of materials, products, systems and business models” (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2013, p.7). Increasingly, CE principles are part of global fashion brands and companies’ strategic agenda. Different business models (e.g., rental, recycle, resell, repair, remake) driven by innovation and creativity are paving new pathways for CE to become a reality in the fashion industry.

Adopting CE principles will help create better products and services, regenerate the environment, and contribute toward long-term sustainability of the fashion industry. CE provides alternative economic opportunities and enhances transparency across the fashion supply chain.

Given the increasing importance of CE in the fashion industry this Special Issue aims to bring together scholarly research contributions exploring topics that drive forward an inclusive circular economy agenda related to the fashion industry. The aim of this Special Issue is to facilitate transdisciplinary approaches that will help develop a robust teaching, research, and engagement agenda focused on CE.

Submissions must be related to the fashion industry and CE. Topics may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Transparency in fashion supply chains advancing circularity;
• Alternative business models advancing CE (e.g., rent, recycle, remake, repair, reuse);
• Fiber and textile advancements contributing to fashion circularity;
• Circular fashion business models;
• Regenerative systems;
• Farm to fabric;
• CE innovations in the fashion industry (e.g., related to textiles, products, business and supply chain operations, and services);
• Consumer behavior related to the use/acceptance of CE business models;
• Redesign systems to eliminate waste;
• Extending product life span using CE strategies;
• Theoretical and conceptual approaches/frameworks;
• Technologies driving circularity in the fashion industry;
• Designing for circularity;
• Product service systems;
• Byproduct synergy networks advancing CE;
• Industry business case studies related CE adoption.

This Special Issue will invite selected submissions from 2023 Fashion and Circular Economy symposium to be held in 2023 hosted by Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado USA. This Special Issue will be the first focused collection of peer-reviewed scholarly works advancing the Fashion and Circular Economy.

Dr. Sonali Diddi
Dr. Iva Jestratijevic
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• circular economy
• transparency
• regenerative fibers
• technology and innovation