Global fashion brands launch initiative to improve textile recycling and waste management.
Adidas, H&M Group, Inditex and Danish fashion company Bestseller have established the Apparel Recovery Coalition (ARC) to address global textile waste and promote circular practices across the fashion industry.
Launched in Accra, Ghana, the initiative brings together major fashion brands, Ghana-based nonprofit The Or Foundation and circular economy organisation Circle Economy. The two-year programme will develop and test a producer responsibility model covering textile reuse, recycling, upcycling and waste management across international supply chains.
The coalition was launched at Kantamanto Market in Accra, one of the world’s largest secondhand clothing markets. According to The Or Foundation, approximately 25 million garments are recirculated through the market every month, supporting thousands of traders, repairers and workers involved in textile recovery.
However, discarded clothing that cannot be resold or recycled contributes to waste accumulation, water contamination and soil pollution, creating environmental challenges for local communities.
ARC’s first demonstration project will operate in Accra, focusing on waste management infrastructure, environmental remediation and training. A second project is planned in another country receiving substantial volumes of secondhand textiles.
The participating fashion brands will provide voluntary financial contributions to support these projects, although the total funding commitment has not been disclosed.
The coalition will also examine extended producer responsibility frameworks, under which manufacturers assume greater financial or operational responsibility for products after their useful life ends.
The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration among fashion brands, recyclers, sorting companies, policymakers and local communities. Its findings are expected to inform future textile waste management practices, recycling investments and regulatory approaches supporting a circular textile economy.