MMU and Manchester authority link up for fashion waste task force

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Feb 16, 2023

A new waste-busting task force is being set up in Greater Manchester “dedicated to reducing the environmental impacts of fashion and textile waste in the North West”.

Called the ‘GM Sustainable Textiles and Fashion Group’, it will include Manchester Metropolitan University experts, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the Manchester Fashion Institute and fashion and textile companies to find solutions to the region’s growing waste problem. 

To do this, a range of methods will be explored, including evaluating recycling and sorting practices, developing new business markets for recycled textiles, and investigating where technology and innovation can deliver more environmentally and commercially effective processes.

The first undertaking for the group will be to form an understanding of the scale and nature of the textile waste problem in Greater Manchester and beyond. To do this the group has been running workshops to scope out a feasibility study that is designed to gather data on where textile waste comes from and ends up.

The study aims to increase understanding of how emerging sorting and reprocessing technologies might help to create valuable materials from non-reusable textiles.

“This is critical if they are to find and deliver a solution to the textile waste problem in the area”, the group said.

By plugging critical data gaps and piloting new initiatives, “the group hopes to make Greater Manchester a leading, regional example of how to develop a sustainable textiles economy, that can be rolled out to other cities and regions nationally and internationally”.

Professor Paul Hooper, Interim Director of the Ecology and Environment Research at Manchester Metropolitan University, added: “With the establishment of this new group, we have taken a huge step forward in being able to reduce the environmental footprint of fashion and textile consumption. Firstly, here in the North West, but eventually using the outcomes of this project to make a difference further afield.

“It’s a huge accomplishment to have been able to establish a comprehensive sector stakeholder group who have the experience and expertise to be able to identify and develop solutions to the waste challenges created by this industry.

“We are also delighted to be able to utilise the knowledge from the Manchester Fashion Institute here at Manchester Met as well as our extensive research and expertise in circular economy and sustainability.”

He added: “The challenge is now to secure both the support and funding necessary to drive forward the social and technological innovation required to deliver these changes.”

In the next 12-months, the task force will start rolling out pilot projects and plan to expand their network across the region.