It is expected that circular economy of the fashion industry would be ruling in future. The clear evidence of the circular business models is showing remarkable growth and the recommence market is expected to become double in size by 2023 and the online rental market is rising at an 11 % annual rate.
Both are outpacing traditional retail which remains with an annual growth of about 2 %.
Textile and clothing manufacturers are focusing on the circular economy with a ninefold rise between 2014 and 2019 in the numerous facilities certified by the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS), as well as a 360% increase in those certified by Global Recycled Standard (GRS).
Recently, the European Commission communication on the Green New Deal (PDF) emphasized on just transition principles and focus on the job-intensive circular activities to this end.
Undeniably, recent estimates (PDF) have highlighted the potential of the circular economy to create a net employment increase of about 700,000 jobs in the European Union by 2030.
Whereas certain sectors would lose out, the lion’s share of new jobs would be created in the waste and resource management and repair and maintenance sectors.
Keeping the socio-economic potential of the end-of-use value chain for textiles and the introduction of new technologies affecting human work, we are bound to discover more depth where changes in employment would take place and which skills are required for present and future jobs in textiles repair, reuse and recycling.
