As per a recent research by the Australia Institute, Australians purchase more clothes per person than any other nation and spend significantly less on each item. Australia has surpassed the United States as the leading consumer of textiles per capita, the study reveals. Australians buy an average of 56 clothing items annually compared to 53 in the US.
Co-authored by Nina Gbor and Olivia Chollet, the report urges the Federal Government to implement new policies and taxes to curb fast fashion and regulate the industry. It indicates, the average value of clothing items purchased by Australians notably lower at is $13 than the averages in the United Kingdom ($40), the United States ($24), Japan ($30), and Brazil ($16).
Highlighting the detrimental effects of Australia’s clothing consumption habits on both health and environment, Nina Gbor, Director-Circular Economy and Waste Program, Australia Institute, emphasises on the need to reduce waste at its source by penalising brands that mass-produce low-quality, inexpensive clothing, often worn just a few times or discarded unsold.
Praising the upcoming national clothing product stewardship scheme, Scheme, Gbor argues that the 4 per cent tax to fund domestic recycling initiatives and reduce clothing waste is insufficient to alter brand behavior, and should be increased to at least 50 cents per item. She also calls for additional measures, such as a fast fashion tax, to hold the industry accountable.
With Shein and Temu projected to generate over $2 billion in sales this year, the Federal Government could redirect some of these profits to combat clothing waste and support domestic recycling and a circular textiles industry, adds Gbor.
The report also recommends introducing a tax on fast fashion, similar to France's legislation, and increasing supply chain transparency, akin to New York state’s Fashion and Social Accountability Act. Additionally, the authors advocate for establishing textile labeling standards, subsidising textile repairs, and banning the export of textile waste from Australia.
As per the polls by the Australia Institute, around 63 per cent of the Australians are concerned about the environmental impact of textile waste. Furthermore, 71 per cent believe businesses should be held responsible for eliminating it, followed by 57 per cent who consider it to be the responsibility of consumers and 54 per cent who hold the government accountable for eliminating the textile waste.
The research also highlights a lack of awareness, with 46 per cent recognising petroleum as the source of polyester and only 27 per cent knowing that over half of the clothes sold in Australia are made from plastic.
