Dear Interiors Industry,
On this day four years ago, I published an Open Letter to the interiors industry calling on designers and manufacturers of home textiles to drive positive change by adopting a similar approach to the fashion industry to tackle waste.
Four years on, are we any better off? My feeling is, not by much.
On the positive side, the introduction of ground-breaking initiatives such as Textiles 2030, new legislation in Textiles EPR, and a growing commitment to accountability in the industry means that change is happening. 44% of textiles produced in 2022 had a lower environmental impact than conventional counterparts.
However, with 13% more textile products placed on the market, it feels like the goal posts are continually moving. We need to be quicker if we’re going to keep up.
I feel strongly that we in Interiors should be addressing the waste problem with as much force as Fashion. Together, we contribute 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly half of the approximate 900,000 tonnes of textile waste that end up in UK landfill comes from homeware (42%). The contribution our industry makes to the climate crisis is just as significant as fashion - and yet it is fashion that dominates the narrative.
I don’t need to tell you that, in design, waste is inevitable. But it’s what you do (or don’t do) with it that counts.
80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined at the design stage. The responsibility sits with the maker - arguably more so than the consumer. By adopting more sustainable practices and committing to circularity, we have the opportunity to design out waste and create lasting change.
This Earth Day, I want to reignite the rallying cry to industry leaders - designers, manufacturers and retailers - to tackle textile waste head on. I urge you to engage in the conversation and be proactive in finding ways to drive positive change. Keep an eye on EPR, be accountable, seek out solutions, and ask for help if you need it. I have found resources like WRAP, Textile Exchange, and The Ellen MacArthur Foundation to be hugely helpful.
We need to act now, there’s no time to waste.
Regards
Jules Haines
Founder and Director of Haines Collection
