The UK relies on this export of clothes for reuse and recycling even though many garments never make it past the domestic waste stream ending up in Energy from Waste plants and landfill.
However, this is only half of the story as society turns a “blind eye” to the full environmental cost of the fashion and textile industry on other parts of the world. The externality cost of the production of textiles is staggering with the textile industry being the second largest consumer of water in the world, represents 10% of carbon emissions globally, displaces food production within agriculture, uses harmful chemicals in their processes impacting local habitats and biodiversity and supports low wages of employees.
Although there are a few manufacturers and brands who make efforts to improve the sustainability of their garments the majority continue not to take the full responsibility of their impact both here in the UK and abroad where their products are often manufactured.
The UK Government is moving ahead with the introduction of an extended producer responsibility for packaging which is welcome, but we must not stop there. Producers of all products need to take responsibility for the materials that they place into the UK market paying the full environmental cost of those products.
My hope is that the extended producer responsibility legislation may start with packaging (as always) but moves swiftly onto a wider range of products.