Textile industry sustainability, in the face of fast fashion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61511/wass.v3i2.2026.3874Keywords:
fast fashion, recycling, reuse, sustainability, textile wasteAbstract
Background: The textile industry is one of the main industries in the distribution of pollutants in the world, with the tradition of seasonal fashion with different designs every year according the high demand of every product. Methods: This study employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) using articles retrieved from the Google Scholar and Scopus databases between 2020 and 2024. The selected studies were systematically analysed to identify key themes and factors influencing sustainability in the textile industry. Findings: Fast fashion is the main reason why the textile and cosmetics industry is under intense scrutiny in resource use, waste, and production emissions. Currently, the clothing industry operates in a straight line, where resources are extracted, clothes are produced, and consumers use them for a short period of time until they discard them. This take-make-dispose system creates a huge variety of environmental and social problems. Circular economy provides a solution to the problem of fast fashion, to achieve circular fashion requires systematic and comprehensive stakeholder engagement. Fast fashion can be addressed also by researching advances in textile material separation to more easily fulfill sustainable strategies in textile recycling. Blended textiles will pose difficulties in mechanical recycling, separation of blended fibers can be done by molecule recycling, i.e., dissolving or selectively polymerizing certain polymers in the blend. Conclusion: A circular economy in the textile industry requires a shift from the traditional take-make-dispose model toward reuse and recycling, supported by systematic stakehlder engagement and improved resource utilization. Novelty/Originality of this article: This article provides a comprehensive synthesis of recent studies on textile waste and fast fashion by integrating circular economy principles with emerging textile recycling technologies, particularly molecular recycling for blended fibers.
References
Abagnato, S., Rigamonti, L., & Grosso, M. (2024). Life cycle assessment applications to reuse, recycling and circular practices for textiles: A review. Waste Management, 180, 98–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2024.04.016
Baloyi, R. B., Gbadeyan, O. J., Sithole, B., & Chunilall, V. (2024). Recent advances in recycling technologies for waste textile fabrics: a review. Textile Research Journal, 94(3–4), 508–529. https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175231210239
Brewer, M. K. (2019). Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World: Promoting Sustainability and Responsibility. Laws, 8(4), 24. https://doi.org/10.3390/laws8040024
Chen, X., & Tabata, T. (2024). Circular economy in fashion: consumer awareness and lifestyle, and environmental impact on second-hand clothes. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 26(6), 3876–3892. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-024-02091-6
Choudhury, K., Tsianou, M., & Alexandridis, P. (2024). Recycling of blended fabrics for a circular economy of textiles: Separation of cotton, polyester, and elastane fibers. Sustainability (Switzerland), 16(14), 6206. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146206
Costa, C., Viana, A., Silva, C., Marques, E. F., & Azoia, N. G. (2022). Recycling of textile wastes, by acid hydrolysis, into new cellulosic raw materials. Waste Management, 153, 99–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2022.08.019
El Darai, T., Ter-Halle, A., Blanzat, M., Despras, G., Sartor, V., Bordeau, G., Lattes, A., Franceschi, S., Cassel, S., Chouini-Lalanne, N., Perez, E., Déjugnat, C., & Garrigues, J.-C. (2024). Chemical recycling of polyester textile wastes: shifting towards sustainability. Green Chemistry, 26(12), 6857–6885. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4GC00911H
Farrant, L., Olsen, S. I., & Wangel, A. (2010). Environmental benefits from reusing clothes. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 15, 726–736. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-010-0197-y
Furferi, R., Volpe, Y., & Mantellassi, F. (2022). Circular economy guidelines for the textile industry. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(17), 11111. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141711111
Handayani, T., Rahmawaty, D., & Rahma, A. Y. (2022). Pengembangan teknik upcycle dari sisa kain produksi massal dan pakaian bekas menjadi pelengkap busana yang berkualitas. Jurnal Desain: Kajian Bidang Penelitian Desain, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.33376/jdes.v2i1.1396
Lee, H. W. (2023). Development of Sustainable Creative Three-Dimensional Virtual Woven Textiles Using Clothing Waste. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(3), 2263. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032263
Li, Z., Zhou, Y., Zhao, M., Guan, D., & Yang, Z. (2024). The carbon footprint of fast fashion consumption and mitigation strategies-a case study of jeans. Science of the Total Environment, 924, 171508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171508
Loo, S.-L., Yu, E., & Hu, X. (2023). Tackling critical challenges in textile circularity: A review on strategies for recycling cellulose and polyester from blended fabrics. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 11(5), 110482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.110482
Mahanty, S., & Domenech, T. (2024). Working along the value chain for circular economy transitions in fashion textiles: A participatory framework. Journal of Cleaner Production, 465, 142627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142627
Matuszak-Flejszman, A., Preisner, A., & Banach, J. K. (2024). Transport-related emissions and transition strategies for sustainability—A case study of the fast fashion industry. Sustainability, 16(17), 7749. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177749
Mohammad, J., Sadom, N. Z. M., & Quoquab, F. (2026). Shop green, feel good: How sustainable fashion boosts Gen Z’s wellbeing? Environment, Development and Sustainability, 28(5), 12351. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-05450-3
Nurisni, N., Riani, E., & Anwar, S. (2024). Efisiensi penghilangan polutan air limbah dari kegiatan pewarnaan di industri tekstil: Studi kasus PT ABC. Jurnal Ilmu Lingkungan, 22(6), 1615–1625. https://doi.org/10.14710/jil.22.6.1615-1625
Oscario, A. (2023). The transformation of second-hand clothes shopping as popular sustainable lifestyle in social media era. E3S Web of Conferences, 388, 04020. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202338804020
Phan, K., Ügdüler, S., Harinck, L., Denolf, R., Roosen, M., O’Rourke, G., De Vos, D., Van Speybroeck, V., De Clerck, K., & De Meester, S. (2023). Analysing the potential of the selective dissolution of elastane from mixed fiber textile waste. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 191, 106903. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.106903
Rostiani, R., & Kuron, J. (2019). Purchase of fast-fashion by younger consumers in indonesia: do we like it or do we have to like it? Journal of Indonesian Economy and Business, 34(3), 249–266. http://journal.ugm.ac.id/jieb
Saha, K., Dey, P. K., & Kumar, V. (2024). A comprehensive review of circular economy research in the textile and clothing industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 444, 141252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141252
Sandin, G., & Peters, G. M. (2018). Environmental impact of textile reuse and recycling—A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 184, 353–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.266
Schmutz, M., & Som, C. (2022). Identifying the potential for circularity of industrial textile waste generated within Swiss companies. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 182, 106132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106132
Seock, Y. K., Shin, J., & Yoon, Y. (2024). Embracing environmental sustainability consciousness as a catalyst for slow fashion adoption. Sustainable Development, 32(4), 4071–4081. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2889
Statista. (2024). Energy consumption in global road freight transport. https://www.statista.com/topics/7476/transportation-emissions-worldwide
Yeap, J. A. L., Ooi, S. K., Yapp, E. H. T., & Ramesh, N. (2024). Preloved is reloved: investigating predispositions of second-hand clothing purchase on C2C platforms. Service Industries Journal, 44(13–14), 993–1017. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2022.2127689
Zandberga, A., Kalnins, S. N., & Gusca, J. (2023). Decision-making algorithm for waste recovery options: Review on textile waste derived products. Environmental and Climate Technologies, 27(1), 137–149. https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2023-0011
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rihlah Fahiranti Marsyea
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
