On Wednesday, August 7, 2024 , the Danish Fashion and Textiles (DM&T) national action plan was released. An action plan that contains several good measures - especially regarding the transition to a more circular economy.
Clothing production is resource-intensive and has a serious impact on our climate and environment. So serious that the consumption of clothing and textiles accounts for the fourth largest environmental impact in the EU, surpassed only by sectors such as transport, food and housing. In consideration of planetary boundaries, this obviously calls for action. And now the industry is coming forward with its proposal for a national action plan for textiles.
In short, the aim here is to produce fewer and more durable products. And that is a good thing. The latter in particular will be of enormous importance, as it will increase the incentives for a more circular economy and thus more recycling. Recycling occupies a relatively large place in the climate debate. And it is certainly part of the solution - at least when recycling is no longer possible. We should just remember that recycling is up to 3,000 times more climate-efficient than recycling, which is why it should be our clear first priority. The EU has also seen the potential for circular transition with its textile strategy from 2022, where the focus is precisely on sustainable production that leaves room for recycling.
Higher demands for producer responsibility are therefore unavoidable. But there is also a political responsibility. Since I founded the second-hand concept Grade A Copenhagen, one of our key issues has been the abolition of the second-hand VAT scheme , which has been mentioned and reported in several national media outlets such as Information and Klimamonitor . It simply does not make sense for circular business models to be subject to a bureaucratic and illogical tax on the resale of textiles, where, of course, VAT has already been paid on the goods once. I therefore acknowledge that DM&T has first and foremost involved us in the work on its national action plan and then, not least, included the abolition of the second-hand VAT scheme on textiles as an important political area of focus.
Better framework conditions for circular business models are crucial if we not only want less consumption, but also smarter consumption. Today, the sale and purchase of recycled textiles is the wild west. There is simply a lack of guidelines so that, on the one hand, we respect rights holders and, on the other hand, protect consumers from, for example, counterfeit or knock-off goods.
In my second-hand shop, we do everything in our power to check the authenticity of the goods and otherwise respect the rights of the manufacturer. Yet we experienced the same fate as many second-hand concepts before us, namely having our Instagram account shut down without notice by Meta, citing infringement of intellectual property rights and suspicion of selling counterfeit goods. Something that not only cost us a lot of revenue over Christmas 2023, but has also planted a fear that something similar could happen again.
I do not mention this as a criticism of Meta, as I fully understand their responsibility towards rights holders. But it underlines the need for clear guidelines. I am calling for a labelling scheme where you as a second-hand concept can become an authorised dealer if you meet some specific requirements. This will create orderly conditions, fair competition and not least make it much safer for the consumer to buy second-hand goods.
The Danish Fashion and Textile Association's national action plan is therefore a step in the right direction. But I hope that both politicians and the industry as a whole will dig even deeper so that we can really accelerate the transition to a more circular economy.
Read Danish Fashion and Textile's full national action plan here
Read more about what we have published and where we have been mentioned
Grade A Copenhagen is well-dressed with a clear conscience. When you choose secondhand, you say yes to circularity and no to an enormous climate impact. We would like to spread this to the world. Read here what we have published and where we have been mentioned.
