Challenging the Disposal of 560,000 Tons of Clothing a Year

OSAKA, Jan 12 (News On Japan) - As mass production and mass consumption continue to drive the disposal of some 560,000 tons of clothing each year, there is growing urgency to reduce waste and build systems that circulate garments as reusable resources rather than discards.

In response, industry veterans led by Izutani, who has spent more than 40 years in the apparel sector, have launched Japan’s first nationwide Sustainable Fashion Platform Council through a partnership linking businesses, government, and the public in Osaka.

Under the initiative, clothing is collected at around 70 locations across Osaka Prefecture, including department stores and the prefectural government offices, before being transported to a sorting facility known as Fiber CDM. There, items are classified into roughly 200 categories and redirected for reuse, ranging from overseas resale to recycled fiber materials and industrial cleaning cloths.

Clothing that had previously been considered unsuitable for reuse is now also being repurposed as building materials, made possible by the participation of textile trading companies. The main challenge going forward is expanding the volume of collected clothing, with organizers calling for wider adoption of household collection programs led by local governments.

The Osaka-based initiative is being seen as a significant step toward addressing Japan’s growing clothing waste problem and redefining the notion that unwanted garments must simply be thrown away.

Source: Television OSAKA NEWS

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