Textile Services Pioneering Sustainability and Circularity in a Timeless Industry
The DNA of the textile services sector includes resource optimization, repair services, reuse options, and long product life cycles.
Circular economy — what else?
The circular economy is one of the cornerstones of the European Green Deal and the continent’s plan for sustainable development. The EU taxonomy lists circularity as one of the six environmental objectives of the EU.
The textile industry is under pressure to become more sustainable because European institutions have identified it as one of the industries with the highest rate of resource consumption. The textile services industry merits further examination in this setting.
An extensive network of thousands of commercial laundries of various sizes makes up the roughly 11 billion euros worth of textile service businesses in Europe. The initial purchase of the textiles or clothing is part of a traditional full service, which also includes a textile circle that provides daily or weekly textile supply, washing, repair, and supply.
The European Textile Service Association, established in 1990, represents both the major multinational companies and the local associations for textile services.
The business model for textile services has long been one of “product as a service,” which is essential and fundamental to circularity. Indeed, the DNA of the textile service includes resource optimization, the longevity of products, localism in the supply chain, repair services, and reuse options. These days, a lot of other industries respect and are interested in textile services.
The business model for textile services has long been one of “product as a service,” which is essential and fundamental to circularity.
Leading by example during an ongoing change
Textile services were able to demonstrate the value of their business model over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic’s two most recent years. The healthcare sector and localized supply chains serving important industries were essential.
By using hygienically cleaned textiles and clothing, numerous industrial sectors, such as health care, hospitality, construction, and security, improved our well-being and health.
Industrial laundries have always been a necessary but, to many, unnoticed component of Europe’s infrastructure. They are generating more economic growth and jobs in Europe than ever before.
The sector also depends on a diverse labor force, with workers of all ages, races, and nationalities performing a range of jobs. The textile services sector provides manual labor in warehouses or on the road, important engineering and technical roles, as well as managerial, strategic, and creative positions. We are proud to offer roles that allow everyone to advance, learn, and grow.
Industrial laundries have always been a necessary but, to many, unnoticed component of Europe’s infrastructure. They are generating more economic growth and jobs in Europe than ever before.
The inherent circularity and sustainability of textile services
Laundry process data show that when the industry evaluates its work and considers ways to improve processes, it makes remarkable progress.
Continuous improvement and a definite energy- and resource advantage by using textile services were identified in the most recent ETSA study on resource consumption, which benchmarked over 400 industrial laundries across Europe.
Additionally, by customizing the washing process to the needs and weight of a textile product, a product’s lifespan can be increased by 50 or more washes. The lifecycle of textile apparel is also extended by integrated repair services, which have an average 3–7 percent repair quota.
This reduces the need for virgin resources in global supply chains. Every fifth garment can be given a second life cycle by pooling textiles and reusing worn-out clothes.
In our sector, nothing could better encapsulate this commitment to circularity than procurement. The fundamental conditions for maximum circularity are long-lasting products, protective fabrics, durability, and repairability.
In comparison to a retail distribution model, the majority of textile products in the industry are produced on demand, with high stock turnover and minimal waste. In addition, shorter, more localized, and more effective supply chains will be essential to the green economy of the future.
The textile services sector is also committed to sustainability through logistics, using lorries, loads, and routes that are all optimized to lessen our overall carbon footprint.
Closing the loop
More than 60% of all textile products are recycled, according to the most recent ETSA survey on resource consumption (2021). A total of 35% of end-of-life textiles were delivered for other recycling options, such as tearing for various products, while 32% were delivered for direct reuse to items or fabric, particularly cutting up for cleaning rags and wipers.
The new “recycling hubs” for industrial textiles will be crucial. Together, the textile manufacturing and services industries will help close the loop and send the least amount of textile waste to incinerators.
Through all of this, we will successfully reduce both resource use and carbon emissions. Our members also believe that the options for recycling, reusing, or even remaking make sound business sense.
More than 60% of all textile products are recycled, according to the most recent ETSA survey on resource consumption (2021).
The clients are at the heart of textile services’ upcoming successes. Great milestones can be attained once the industry and clients collaborate more closely on sustainability and circularity. Nevertheless, there are some issues that must be resolved.
For example:
- collaborating closely with the chemical and textile industries to “detox” all (dyed) textiles
- working together with producers and designers to develop products using repurposed textiles.
- reducing energy use even more and introducing even more clever reverse logistics models.
Today, we can all act as change agents, and we all need to recognize the value of becoming more circular. The circularity process will be centered on closing the loop between textile product procurement and end-of-life. The textile service sector not only addresses the problem areas at the top of the value chain.
In this sector, both ends are managed. They possess end-of-life textiles that are available in large quantities that have been presorted and that can be efficiently supplied to the various channels for recycling, upcycling, or second life cycle.
In essence, circularity is where a responsible industry is asked to invest its commitment over the coming years, and we expect and strongly encourage the EU Commission to be fully supportive of this effort.
ETSA’s response to the green a digital transition
In my capacity as the president of the European Textile Service Association, this is undeniably true and more important than ever. ETSA shares a strong responsibility about what the future of textile services should bring, to the economy and to society.
Other industries that are attempting to become more circular and sustainable can learn a lot from the textile services sector.
The textile services industry can provide other industries that are attempting to become more circular and sustainable with insightful reflections. Being circular and sustainable, with ETSA serving as the EU Commission’s climate ambassador starting in 2021, requires looking to the future in a society that frequently prioritizes the quickest and most convenient outcome over the bigger picture.
Reference: https://www.politico.eu/sponsored-content/textile-services-pioneering-sustainability-and-circularity-in-a-timeless-industry/
