New Zealand’s fashion industry is responsible for an estimated 180,000 tonnes of clothing and textile waste but, as in other countries, tools to tackle this profusion are emerging.
One of these is offered by a new consultancy, the Environmental Innovation Centre, which was opened in early 2024 to reduce waste created in the construction and manufacturing processes, and its work has since spread into areas such as retirement homes, and retail.
The centre studies the waste created and suggests how some of it can be avoided entirely, replaced with a better option, and recycled.