This paper discusses how textiles waste is generated and discarded in Australia, and the policies needed to create a ‘circular economy’ for textiles. Australia’s addiction to cheap textiles, many of which are derived from fossil fuels, has global consequences. The rapid production and overconsumption of textiles – particularly ‘fast fashion’ – creates obstacles to the reuse and repair of textiles, and our inability to reuse or recycle them domestically means we continue to rely on exporting textiles waste to landfills, waterways and beaches far from Australian shores.

The phenomenal growth in the rate of textiles waste has been driven largely by the ‘fast fashion’ phenomenon, in which massive amounts of poorly made, cheaply priced clothes are quickly manufactured and constantly released onto the market. Much of this ‘fast fashion’ is made from synthetic, petroleum-based fibres.

Successive Australian Governments have pitched the ‘circular economy’ as the panacea to all of Australia’s waste problems – and textiles have not been an exception. To deal with waste generated by the clothing industry, which is the most visible source of textiles waste, the Commonwealth Government has supported and accredited the National Product Textiles waste in Australia Stewardship Scheme, also known as Seamless. This paper analyses the effectiveness of the measures proposed by Seamless and discusses what additional policies are needed to reduce textiles waste in Australia. It also compares Seamless to similar schemes within the European Union which, unlike Seamless, charge a higher levy and make membership compulsory.

To create a robust domestic circular economy for textiles in Australia, this paper recommends that:

• The Commonwealth Government introduce a tax on ‘fast fashion’ items put on the Australian market.
• The Commonwealth Government regulate or ban the advertisement of fast fashion.
• The Commonwealth Government establish labelling standards that inform consumers about the social and ecological footprint of the textiles they buy. This would be similar to the mandatory standards for care labelling that already exist in Australia.
• Investment in Australia’s domestic recycling capacity be substantially increased. This could be through direct funding, grants, or tax incentives.