Ulla Luhtasela, Lindström Group: Circular economy should be the new norm in textile industry

From linear to circular: rediscovering timeless practices

In today’s linear world, success is built around growth, which usually means more production, raw materials, waste and pollution. Textile industry is not an exception, where especially the fast fashion creates significant amounts of GHG emissions, wastewater and consumes large volumes of energy, water, and chemicals.

But could you imagine a future, where challenges would turn into opportunities? To understand the huge potential of circular economy principles in textile industry, we can reflect to the history, not so many decades ago. Our grandparents used functional and durable clothes, washed and maintained them to prolong the lifespan and repaired them when needed. And they were very creative in re-use ideas to give a second life for textiles as many different household solutions.

It is obvious, that the textile industry has a great potential to transform itself into a more sustainable and circular one, where textiles are designed, produced, used, and reused in a way that minimizes the environmental impacts and maximizes the value and benefits for all stakeholders. By adopting circular economy principles, we all could contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as climate action, clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production, and decent work and economic growth. To realize this potential, we need to adopt innovative and collaborative approaches that involve all actors in value chain, from raw material suppliers to end-users and recyclers.
 

Practical tips for boosting circular economy practices 

Lindström provides a full circular service model for workwear, mats, hand towels, hotel and restaurant linen and many more rental products. We have been developing our business model over the decades (already 176 years!), even before circular economy or sustainability became a buzz word. Here are few examples and tips how to add value through circular thinking:

• Circular economy: extend the lifespan and value of the textiles by designing them to be durable, functional, and easy to repair and maintain. Ensure textiles are reused or recycled at the end of their lifespan. 
• Responsible sourcing: use certified, recycled or biobased materials whenever possible, but ensure by testing that you are not sacrificing the durability or the functionality of the textiles. Poor quality will increase the need of textile production and lead for more waste. 
• Efficient operations: optimize your operations to reduce the environmental impacts and costs of your operations. Use modern and energy-efficient equipment, water and energy saving technologies, and renewable energy sources. Optimize the routes and ensure full loads in logistics.
• Customer value: help customers to reduce their environmental impacts and costs by offering them textile rental and maintenance services, where the customers only pay for the use of the textiles, not the ownership. By optimizing the number of garments needed, you can prevent overproduction and manufacture only what is needed. 
   

The power of partnership driving circular solutions forward

Weaving together a circular future 

We at Lindström believe that the future of the textile industry is circular, and it should become a “new normal”. We also believe that we have a key role to play in shaping and driving this transformation. 

As nobody can be “experts of everything”, collaboration is a key to develop new and better solutions. If I would give one last advice, it would be: “Let’s connect with each other. Together we will find new solutions”.