Japan eyes cutting 25% of clothes waste by 2030
Japan aims to reduce clothes waste by 25 percent by fiscal 2030 compared with 10 years before to address the environmental impact of carbon dioxide emissions-heavy garment production.
The move to promote the reuse and recycling of clothing comes as textile product waste has become a major issue worldwide, with the fashion sector generating an estimated 92 million tons annually, according to the United Nations Development Program.
This has contributed significantly to environmental pollution and accounted for about 10 percent of global carbon emissions, the New York-based world body said in March.
New action plan
Based on a new action plan to be compiled by March, the Japanese government will promote wider reuse and recycling of clothes, calling on local governments, businesses, and households to work together to reduce textile waste.
A total of 820,000 tons of new clothing was estimated to be supplied in Japan in 2024, most of which was imported, according to an Environment Ministry report.
The report showed 8.38 billion cubic meters of water were estimated to be consumed annually through dyeing and transportation processes of clothing supplied to Japan, while 95 million tons of CO2 were estimated to be emitted.
With sales to secondhand stores and recycling into repurposed textiles limited, an estimated 560,000 tons of clothing were incinerated or sent to landfills in 2024, about 90 percent of which came from households.
‘Circular fashion’
To promote environmentally friendly “circular fashion,” the upcoming plan will set five key initiatives, including strengthening systems to collect used clothing, expanding reuse and extending product lifespans.
Specific measures will be outlined for central and local governments, companies, and households under the plan.
Municipalities will be encouraged to improve collection rates and make secondhand clothing more accessible to citizens in need, while apparel companies will be asked to design products that are easier to repair or reuse.
Households will be called on to recycle clothing and choose environmentally friendly products.
