Square Your Circle: How to Assess the Environmental Impact of Reuse Business Models in Apparel

An estimated $500 billion is lost globally each year when clothes are disposed of before the end of their useful material life. In an effort to reduce this, companies are exploring ways to do business with less negative impact. To this end, companies make claims about the environmental benefits of implementing different circular models. Without clear and common reference points or methods, companies could be at risk of greenwashing and might lose money and competitive advantage investing in false solutions. This guidebook helps companies make accurate calculations to the relative impact a reuse business model has on their environmental footprint. Co-developed by World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), this guidebook presents methods for apparel companies to measure the environmental impacts of clothing reuse: