The fashion industry is responsible for a staggering amount of pollution, yet most of us rarely pause to consider the journey behind our favorite T-shirts or jeans. In the last two decades, global clothing sales have more than doubled, while the number of times each item is actually worn has steadily declined. This mismatch between production and use has led to mountains of perfectly good garments heading straight for landfill or incineration. At the same time, making new clothes consumes vast quantities of water, energy and chemicals—and often depends on low-wage labor in vulnerable communities. If we want to break free from this cycle of “take, make and dispose,” we need fresh ideas and new business models that keep garments in circulation for as long as possible.
Circular economy is one powerful concept that has emerged to address this problem. Rather than following a straight line from resource extraction to waste, a circular approach seeks to loop materials back into the system. Imagine a world where a ripped jacket is mended instead of thrown away, where last season’s dress is rented to a friend, and where pensioned-off fabrics are broken down and spun into new yarn. Achieving this vision requires more than goodwill; it demands creative services, clever technology and collaboration among designers, retailers, tech companies, community groups and policymakers.
By gathering the data presented in this digital hub we can better understand how circularity and sustainability services are related-from rental platforms and repair workshops to digital tagging companies. Using Visual Network Analysis, each service was mapped as a node and linked to the organizations that deliver it, evantually revealing twelve interconnected clusters of activity. These clusters shine a light on where the most vibrant innovation is happening and how it all fits together.
Some of the most prominent clusters revolve around producing garments on demand and recovering resources at the end of life. On-demand production platforms let customers customize and order clothes only when they need them, which slashes overstock and waste. Downstream, resource recovery labs are experimenting with breaking old textiles into fibers—or plastics into pellets—so materials can re-enter the manufacturing cycle. Alongside these industrial efforts, a thriving scene of vintage retailers and curated second-hand marketplaces has emerged, offering high-quality pre-loved fashion in both physical shops and online portals. Paying by weight at community resale events or browsing peer-to-peer marketplaces are just two ways shoppers can give garments a second life.
Digital technologies play a pivotal role too. Companies specializing in digital product passports attach QR codes or NFC tags to garments, encoding everything from fiber content and care instructions to repair history and resale potential. Scanning the tag reveals a product’s entire life story—making it easier to make informed choices and to connect with repair services or resale platforms. In stores and at events, interactive kiosks and live demonstrations educate consumers on recycling techniques, mending methods and the latest sustainable materials. Meanwhile, digital printing services link designers, artisans and manufacturers in on-demand printing networks, trimming down waste by only producing what’s needed.
Beyond corporate brands, four types of non-brand actors stand out. Local circularity hubs—often city-based programs—bring together artisans, small businesses and community members for repair cafés, upcycling workshops and textile sorting. Digital fabrication labs harness 3D printers and laser cutters to prototype modular clothing, repair tools and eco-friendly textiles. Transparency platforms and logistics providers offer “circularity-as-a-service,” helping brands manage take-back programs, sort used garments and resell them at scale. Finally, social enterprises and non-profits combine circularity with social impact by creating jobs, offering training and ensuring low-income communities can both contribute to and benefit from sustainable fashion systems.
For retailers, tapping into these ecosystems offers a way to enrich the customer experience and reduce environmental impact. Imagine walking into a store where you can drop off an old coat for recycling, pick up a rental for an upcoming event, and scan a digital passport that tells you exactly where the materials came from and who made them. Shoppers, in turn, gain more control over their clothes’ lifecycles—and more ways to extend their garments’ useful life. Neighborhood swap parties, repair pop-ups and online dashboards that track a jacket’s carbon footprint are no longer fringe ideas but growing trends in cities around the world.
Fashion has always been about creativity and self-expression. By embracing circular practices, we can extend that creativity to how we make, use and reuse our clothes. A jacket that’s repaired and passed along carries stories and memories; a dress that’s rented might link you to someone halfway around the world; a sweater spun from recycled fibers becomes a living example of innovation. The future of fashion doesn’t lie in endless consumption—but in thoughtful circulation. And the choices we make today will shape that future for generations to come. Ø
