WRAP has published the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP) final report alongside the Textiles 2030 progress report, which sets out the practical actions underway for the sector to halve GHG emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
The SCAP final report follows eight years of work, which brought together fashion brands, retailers, charity retailers, textile recycling companies, academia, governments and other stakeholders to reduce the impact of clothing in the UK.
Between 2012 and 2020, this industry-led action plan delivered effective environmental and economic outcomes. The final report shows that SCAP exceeded its carbon and water footprint targets, although it struggled to complete the waste element.
The most impactful change by signatories was a radical increase in the use of more sustainable fibres, from close to zero in 2012, to over 100,000 tonnes in 2020.
| % | Carbon footprint | Water footprint | Waste Footprint | Clothing in household waste |
| Target | – 15% | – 15% | – 3.5% | -15% |
| Outcome | – 21.6% | – 18.2% | – 2.1% | – 4% |
- Footprint targets are for reductions in the whole-life impact of clothing sold in the UK by SCAP signatories per tonne of clothing sold.
Challenges remain for the textiles sector, including its contribution to global warming and water scarcity. One of the key issues to unlock carbon savings is creating a truly circular economy for textiles. To do this, the successor to SCAP, Textiles 2030, includes work streams on design for longevity and recyclability, reuse business models, and closed loop recycling of textile fibres.
Dr David Moon, Director of Collaboration and Change at WRAP, said: “The learnings and success of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan have provided the foundations for Textiles 2030. SCAP was the first voluntary agreement of its kind to measure and act within the UK textiles sector and the knowledge we have gained from this agreement has underpinned what needs to happen to make Textiles 2030 even more impactful. Sector-wide change is essential if we are to achieve climate targets and a circular economy in materials, so we have been collaborating with businesses, Governments and other stakeholders to develop Textiles 2030. The public, investment managers and policy makers are all demanding practical action, sustainable products and evidence of outcomes. We need more companies to show their commitment to action through Textiles 2030, continuing and evolving the legacy of SCAP.”
