Fast fashion is more accessible than ever before – with online retailers and high street stores offering hundreds of new items every day, at cut-price rates. But as the industry grows, so too does its impact on the planet. Textiles make up just 4% of household waste in Scotland, but contribute nearly a third of our carbon impact according to figures from Zero Waste Scotland.
While overseas, thousands of tonnes of discarded fashion are piled high in landfill sites. Campaigners are urging legislators and consumers to take action now, before the problem becomes insurmountable. Nathan’s Wastesavers in Denny is the biggest textile recycling facility in Scotland.
It takes in around 400 tonnes of unwanted goods every week, from clothing banks, schools, and charity shops. Hundreds of staff sift through the garments to identify specific items like jeans or winter clothing, which are sent to wholesalers in East and West Africa and Eastern Europe. Peter Page, group head of recycling, told Scotland Tonight: “Going back 20 or 30 years ago, we weren’t collecting 400 tonnes a week.
“It’s a major challenge and we have to adapt. We have to find more space in the factory, and we have to install new conveyor systems to cope with the demand.” Nathan’s currently distributes around 70% of clothing for reuse, and around 27%, which is not suitable for reuse, is downcycled into things like insulation and carpet underlay.
But despite taking in more clothing than ever before, the qualit.