The federal government of Australia has introduced a new clothing product stewardship scheme- Seamless to achieve circularity in the apparel industry by 2030.
Starting on July 1, the scheme will enable participating brands to contribute $0.04 AUD for each new garment sold in Australia,
Australia’s massive textile consumption has resulted in a 300,000-ton textile waste problem as on an average Australians purchase 56 new garments a year, as per a report by the Australia Institute.
The scheme should initially focus on better circular design practices, with the possibility of increasing the levy in the future, However, to achieve a true circular economy, the government should increase the contribution from brands to $0.50 per garment, opines Nina Gbor, Director-Circular Economy and Waste Program, Australia Institute.
For Seamless to succeed, participation for all businesses should be mandatory, Gboremphasises. This includes ultra-fast fashion giants like Shein and Temu, which are expected to generate over $2 billion in sales in Australia this year. The competition from these fast fashion companies is forcing local brands to close, impacting jobs and stifling the growth of Australia's textiles industry, she adds.
According to the Australian Fashion Council (AFC), the clothing and textiles industry contributes over $27.2 billion to the economy and employs over 489,000 people. Substantial long-term investments in creating a circular economy would help the sector grow by $10.8 billion in the next decade, AFC projects,
