The Economy We Wear: Transitioning to a circular fashion system

WEAll Aotearoa is proud to launch our report The Economy We Wear: Transitioning to a circular fashion system. In this report we spotlight leading circular fashion businesses and outline how the fashion industry can move towards circular economies. 

We include seven opportunities for businesses to shift to circular models, and for the government to implement system-level strategies to create the conditions for circularity to thrive.

The New Zealand fashion and textiles industry is big business, amounting to 1.9% of GDP in 2023. It is also providing great leadership in adopting circular business models that prioritise people and planet. 

In Aotearoa New Zealand we have a growing community of businesses demonstrating that circular business models are commercially viable. They are prioritising extending the life of garments through repair, reuse, resale, rental and remake; while also critically examining reducing production altogether. They are also demonstrating that the extractive model is a choice. 

For circularity at scale, we need systems-level leadership. The government has a critical role in creating the right conditions for circular business models to be the logical and financially-viable choice.

Changes to the fashion industry are part of a wider redesign of our economy; how we work, exchange, connect and participate to meet our needs now, and into the future that WEAll Aotearoa is working to bring to life.