To tackle the environmental impact of garment production, Japan has announced a target to cut apparel waste by 25% by fiscal 2029–30 compared with a decade earlier. The move aims to curb carbon dioxide emissions and resource consumption linked to clothing production and disposal.
The Japanese government plans to compile a new action plan by March 2026, promoting wider reuse, recycling, and circular fashion initiatives. The plan will call on local governments, businesses, and households to collectively reduce textile waste, according to domestic media reports.
The action plan will focus on five key initiatives, including strengthening systems to collect used clothing, expanding reuse, and extending the lifespan of apparel products. Measures will be clearly outlined for central and local authorities, companies, and consumers.
Under the plan, municipalities will be encouraged to improve collection rates and make second-hand clothing more accessible to people in need. Apparel companies will be asked to design products that are easier to repair, reuse, or recycle. Meanwhile, consumers will be urged to recycle garments and prioritize environmentally friendly products.
An Environment Ministry report highlighted the scale of the issue, estimating that 8.38 billion cubic metres of water were used annually in clothing dyeing and transport processes for garments supplied to Japan in 2024. In the same year, 95 million tonnes of carbon dioxide were emitted in the apparel supply chain.
The report also noted that 560,000 tonnes of clothing were incinerated or sent to landfills in 2024, with nearly 90% originating from households, as sales to second-hand stores and recycling into repurposed textiles remained limited.
The government’s circular fashion initiative aims to reduce environmental impact, promote sustainable consumption, and encourage industry-wide and community-based action toward a greener textile future in Japan.
Source: Fibre2Fashion
(Rewritten & adapted by Indian-Apparel.com News Desk)
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