Serious confusion exists around the environmentally safe disposal of different types of packaging used by the fashion industry, according to a new research.
The report, The Future of Packaging in the Fashion Industry, published by Aquapak Polymers, which specialises in polymer-based material technologies, is based on research with senior executives, including CEOs, retail directors, sustainability directors and COOs, of fashion brands and retailers in the UK, US, and Australia.
All of those surveyed said they still use plastic or recycled plastic in their business. Almost two fifths (38 per cent) said that plastic is recycled after use, 25 per cent said it went to landfill, 22 per cent said it was reused and 14 per cent said incineration.
This is in stark contrast to official data from the World Economic Forum which shows that approximately 36 per cent of all plastic produced is used to create packaging, 85 per cent of which ends up in landfills, highlighting the confusion that exists when it comes to the fate of plastic packaging waste.
The picture is similar when it comes to home compostable packaging, with 36 per cent saying it was home composted as intended, 28 per cent said it was reused, 20 per cent said that they thought it went to landfill and 15 per cent said it was incinerated. The findings highlight the opacity and complexity of safe disposal in developed waste markets like the UK, US, and Australia.
When asked who is responsible for the correct disposal of packaging, 44 per cent said it was their customers’ responsibility, 30 per cent said it was the responsibility of the brand and one quarter said was up to both to ensure that waste packaging is disposed of properly.
However, when UK consumers were asked about packaging and disposal, it became clear that the expectation that consumers are ultimately responsible for disposal is somewhat misguided. Just 14 per cent said that they know what type of material the fashion items they buy are packaged in, two thirds said they sometimes know what packaging type it is and a further 21 per cent said they never know.
Furthermore, more than half (53 per cent) said they find the disposal and recycling of different types of packaging confusing, and this confusion has resulted in 59 per cent of respondents recycling less.
The findings also suggest that the industry isn’t always helping its customers as much as it should. Just 5 per cent of consumers said there are always clear instructions on the packaging to show how it should be disposed of without damaging the environment, 58 per cent said there are sometimes, 23 per cent said often, and 6 per cent said there are never instructions displayed.
Aquapak has developed Hydropol, a polymer which is soluble and non-toxic to marine life, providing an alternative to conventional plastic because it provides the same functionality but without the associated environmental problems. It is used to make products such as garment bags, offer all the necessary features of traditional polybags: strength and puncture resistance; clarity of film; and protection from leakages and dirt.
More recently N.Brown the inclusive fashion retail platform and owner of the JD Williams, Jacamo and Simply Be brands, is set to become the largest online retailer in the UK to use HydropolTM packaging for its garment bags, with the aim of reducing plastic waste and preventing recycling confusion.
John Williams, chief technology officer at Aquapak, said the study highlights the misconception of plastic disposal versus reality, where recycling rates remain stubbornly low. The confusion over how to dispose of waste packaging is an age-old problem and one which is holding back recycling rates around the world.
“We also need to recognise that this is not a problem for consumers to solve. There are packaging innovations which perform the same job as plastic but without the negative environmental impact because they offer a range of end of life options from recycling to composting.
“We need more brands to embrace new technologies and the waste system to accept more materials if we are to achieve a circular economy, rather than pushing the responsibility on to the end-user.”
