Chapter 2: Mapping Sustainable Textile Initiatives in the Nordic Countries

This chapter summarizes the results from the first phase of the project, which focused on mapping sustainable textile initiatives in the Nordic countries. More information about the mapping and a full overview of the identified initiatives is available in the report Mapping Sustainable Textile Initiatives in the Nordic Countries (2023).

The report “Mapping Sustainable Textile Initiatives in the Nordic Countries” is available here: https://www.norden.org/en/publication/mapping-sustainable-textile-initiatives-nordic-countries (accessed 10-09-2024).

2.1 The aim of the mapping exercise

To identify relevant areas for collaboration, the first phase of the project concentrated on establishing an overview of existing initiatives on sustainable textiles in the Nordic countries. The aim of the mapping was to identify Nordic positions of strength, and areas already addressed by other projects, as well as key stakeholders within the Nordic fashion and textile sector. Thus, the mapping provided a knowledge base for determining how The Nordic Textile Collaboration could support the transition towards a Nordic circular textile economy during 2023 and 2024.

2.2 The mapping methodology

The project coordinating team at the Danish EPA conducted the mapping in 2022. It commenced by interviewing project steering committee members in Finland, Norway and Sweden to gain insights into the current state of the textile sector in the three countries. Existing overviews within the Danish Ministry of Environment and the Danish EPA were used to get an overview of Danish activities.

Utilizing the knowledge gained from the first step of the mapping, desk research was conducted, drawing on publications, earlier mappings and online project databases on the websites of industrial and trade organizations, national authorities and the Nordic Council of Ministers. Furthermore, trade organizations for fashion and textiles within the four participating countries, as well as the steering committee, were consulted to ensure quality assurance of the findings.

In August 2022, three workshops were held to gather input for the mapping and the formulation of initiatives to prioritize in The Nordic Textile Collaboration. In total, around 100 participants representing trade organizations, recycling and waste management companies, reuse organizations, consumer organizations, academia, NGOs and public authorities, provided valuable input for the project during the three workshops.

2.3 The mapping results

The mapping focused on collaborative projects initiated by private and public stakeholders that innovate the textile sector as a whole in a more circular direction. Based on this criterion, 148 projects were identified and divided into five categories:

Materials and design (41 projects)
Production methods (15 projects)
Consumption and circular business models (22 projects)
Collecting, sorting and recycling (24 projects)
Governance and capacity building (46 projects)

The mapping showed that several activities were already taking place that supported the transition towards a circular textile economy within the Nordic countries. However, the identified initiatives were mainly small-scale and nationally oriented. It made sense to join forces, learn from each other and act together for two main reasons. First, the scope of the challenge at hand means that it makes little sense to develop narrow, local solutions. Second, the scale of the Nordic countries and the similarity of their challenges in terms of consumption patterns and meeting the expected legislative requirements of the future provide a great argument for cross-country collaboration. Based on the trends identified through the mapping, there was potential for The Nordic Textile Collaboration to address gaps and build on existing knowledge within the areas of:

Circular business models and consumption cultures: Joint action across the Nordic countries to support the uptake of circular business models and enable consumers to play an active part in the transition by supporting the extension of textile lifespans.
Circular competences and knowledge sharing: Developing green skills and sharing knowledge related to the transition of the fashion and textile industry to ensure that new knowledge and technologies are communicated across the Nordic fashion and textile industry.
Collaboration on digital tools and communication: A Nordic collaboration on sustainability reporting to develop methods for communicating sustainability efforts, in order to support stakeholders within the Nordic textile sector to meet the demands of new EU regulation, such as the proposed Directive on Green Claims.

In collaboration with the steering committee, it was decided to prioritize the first two areas, which developed into the initiatives of Active Textile Society (see Chapter 3) and Sharing Nordic Circular Competences (see Chapter 4). As the adoption of the EU Directive on Green Claims was still underway at the time, the third initiative was not prioritized. Instead, it was chosen to include a third initiative, EU & Textile Coffee Breaks, aimed at introducing stakeholders within the Nordic textile sector to the EU framework they would be working under in the coming years (see Chapter 5).