The Circular Economy’s Missing Piece

Alex: So where are we from a circular economy standpoint? That’s a tough question. To be ready to honestly look somebody in the eye and say, “Yes, we’re ready for the circular economy.” I gotta be honest. My perspective is that there are not very many people in our industry that can actually say that. And that’s because, in order to be fully circular (there is a wheel diagram in my notes somewhere I have to find that I can show you) but basically, you’re missing a piece. And the piece is the collection and the understanding at the consumer level to say, “This garment is now done. Where do I put it, take it or give it to put it in the circular economy?” And then the slice of saying, “That garment that contains seven different fibers and 14 different components – anywhere from zippers to batted insulation to natural synthetic fibers, etc, – How do you break that apart and put it into another reusable item or stream?” That doesn’t exist. That infrastructure DOES NOT exist today in mass-scale economies.