As well as recycling a quarter of the 22 million tonnes of textile waste accrued each year, the country is looking to produce two million tonnes of recycled fibre annually within the next three years, according to an announcement from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Ministry of Commerce.
The textile initiatives are part of a broader push for China to reach peak carbon emissions within the decade and carbon neutrality by 2060.
“With the continuous improvement in people’s living standards, more and more used clothing [is being put to waste], and the problem of recycling textile waste has become increasingly prominent,” Zhao Kai, vice-chairman of the China Association of Circular Economy, said in a statement.
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Can China Handle Its 20 Million Tonnes of Textile Waste?
China is the world’s largest consumer of fashion and a major production hub. How it tackles its mountain of annual waste will impact global brands’ ability to embrace a more circular supply chain.
