Trends: How fashion brands are cutting waste and extending product lifespan

The fashion industry has long operated on a system of take, make, and waste, where resources are extracted, turned into garments, and eventually discarded – often far too soon.

Clothing is produced at a rapid pace, sold in mass quantities, worn for a short period, and frequently tossed aside, which contributes to the growing problem of textile waste.

Many of these discarded garments end up in landfills or incinerators, adding to pollution and resource depletion.

This linear approach is not just wasteful – it’s a major environmental burden. The fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it one of the most polluting industries in the world.

The heavy reliance on raw materials, energy-intensive production, and short product lifecycles all contribute to its massive footprint.

Now, a new guide is offering a practical way forward, helping brands transition to a circular design model that prioritizes sustainability, longevity, and waste reduction.

Roadmap to circular fashion

Scientists at RMIT University have partnered with brands to create Refashioning: Accelerating Circular Product Design at Scale.

This is a guide that is aimed at eliminating wasteful design practices and promoting durable fashion.

The goal is to help brands transition from linear production models to circular design – where products are created with reuse, recycling, and longevity in mind.

Professor Alice Payne, project lead and Dean of the University’s school of fashion and textiles, explained that the guide challenges traditional design thinking and offers practical steps for businesses looking to make a change.

“This guide provides a systematic approach to implementing circular clothing design in a way that all organizations can implement, regardless of their size,” Payne explained.

“Based on extensive research with the industry, we’ve created practical steps businesses can take to improve the circularity of their outputs,” she added.

“Although other circular design guides are available, Refashioning is unique in providing a systematic methodology that enables designers to both slow the flow and close the loop.”

Why circular fashion is the future

Most fashion brands still rely on a production system that encourages short-lived clothing.

Products are made quickly and cheaply, with little thought about what happens to them once consumers are finished wearing them.

A circular approach changes that. It considers key factors early in the design process – material choices, product durability, intended use, and what happens to the product at the end of its useful life.

By making these decisions upfront, brands can create garments that last longer and can be repaired, reused, or recycled rather than sent to landfills.

Industry and government collaboration

The project was funded by Sustainability Victoria and developed in partnership with Country Road Group brands and two independent circular design experts, Courtney Holm and Julie Boulton.

Sustainability Victoria’s CEO, Matt Genever, highlighted the importance of collaboration between industry, government, and researchers to address textile waste.

“It’s an example of how effective cross-sector collaboration can generate impactful results in the transition to a circular economy,” he said.

“By fostering partnerships across sectors, Sustainability Victoria enables meaningful change that moves beyond theory and into real, actionable solutions.”

Testing circular fashion in the real world

One of the key strengths of the guide is that it was tested on real products before being finalized.

Over the course of a year, eight product and design teams from four brands – Country Road, Trenery, Witchery, and Politix – applied the guidelines in a commercial setting.

This hands-on approach ensured the guide was practical and adaptable for real-world use.

Erika Martin, Head of Sustainability at Country Road Group, explained how working on the guide has helped unify their approach to circular design.

“This project delivered a clear vision for circular design, and leveraged the expertise in the industry, academia and our own business,” she said.

“The opportunity to help create guidelines based on real life feedback and challenges and not just academic theory was a key driver for our involvement, alongside our commitment to building a better future.”

Shift towards a sustainable future

With the fashion industry under increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, practical tools like Refashioning offer businesses a clear way to take action.

By rethinking how clothes are designed from the start, brands can reduce waste, lower emissions, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

The shift to circular design won’t happen overnight. But with collaboration, research, and practical steps, the industry is moving in the right direction – one product at a time.

The full guide may be downloaded here.

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