In an effort to increase the sustainability of the apparel and textile industries, the Scottish Government and sustainable organization, Zero Waste Scotland have launched a new GBP2m (US$2.46m) Circular Textiles Fund.

Scotland's new joint funding project, which began on Friday (June 24), will see money flow directly to garment and textile firms throughout the nation, with the goal of supporting ideas that would strengthen the country's circular economy.

Applications for the fund are open until July 29, 2022, and can come from either an individual firm or a partnership of enterprises that want to achieve a set of goals, which include: Reduce demand for new textiles through services such as garment and textile rental, reuse, and repair; Use environmentally friendly production practices; Reduce in-life environmental consequences by, for example, reducing pollutants caused by washing textiles and making them simpler to reuse and mend; and, increase the quantity of textile waste recovered and recycled.

According to Zero Trash Scotland's latest Carbon Metric report, textiles, which account for 4% of waste by weight, contribute to over a third (32%) of Scotland's household waste's carbon footprint.

Iain Gulland, chief executive of the organization, said that as a country, they need to reassess the way they manufacture, purchase, and use things and take steps to consume more responsibly. Businesses may play an important role in aiding this transformation by assisting customers in making more sustainable purchase decisions while also contributing to a greener economy.

He adds that the Circular Textiles Fund is an excellent chance for businesses to contribute to the answer by assisting the country is shifting away from a throwaway approach to products and materials and toward developing things that last.

This new initiative follows two public consultations on proposals for a Circular Economy Bill and Route Map to 2025, which are part of larger goals to achieve zero waste in Scotland and fulfill the country’s circular economy ambitions.

Scotland’s Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater, said that from fashion to furniture, there is great potential for businesses with imaginative ways to help address that problem. That is why they’re establishing the £2 million Circular Textiles Fund, which will assist Scottish entrepreneurs in making their ideas a reality. This, in conjunction with our Circular Economy Bill, will assist to increase the number of sustainable enterprises in Scotland and prevent textiles from ending up in landfills or incinerated.

The new initiative was established in Dunfermline, Scotland, at the headquarters of Scottish sustainable garment maker Kalopsia Collective.

Rebekah Chapman, the production technician at Kalopsia Collective, said that the circular economy is a passion shared by many in the Scottish apparel and textile sector. They’re delighted to help launch the Circular Textiles Fund and look forward to seeing more businesses doing things differently for the future of people and the planet.