By Jaqueline Quesada / Translated by Samai Páez

With the aim to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry and promote more responsible consumption, the Ministerio del Medio Ambiente de Chile has presented a new strategy to promote the circular economy in the sector, with an eye on the year 2040. This plan, prepared in conjunction with the consultancy Cadenas de Valor Sustentables (CAV+S), arises as a response to environmental and social problems generated by the current model of production and consumption of textiles in the country.

The strategy is worked around four fundamental axes: circular culture, promoting environmental awareness from an early age; circular territories, promoting local actions for circularity; circular regulation, strengthening the legal framework for waste management and encouraging sustainable production; and circular innovation, promoting transparency and the development of new technologies in the sector.

One of the main goals is to reduce by 30% the overconsumption of clothing by 2040. Chile is one of the countries with the highest textile consumption per person, so measures will be promoted to encourage the responsible purchase, repair and reuse of garments. Likewise, it seeks to increase by 60% the formal jobs linked to circular business models, with special attention to the strengthening of traditional trades such as weaving and tailoring.

The management of textile waste also occupies a central place in the strategy. It is proposed to increase by 50% its recovery by 2040 through the REP Law, in addition to other recycling and upcycling actions. A program will also be implemented to eradicate illegal textile dumps, a problem that especially affects the north of the country, in areas such asin addition to other recycling and upcycling actions. A program will also be implemented to eradicate illegal textile dumps, a problem that especially affects the north of the country, in areas such as Alto Hospicio, Iquique and the Atacama Desert.

The Ministry of the Environment will lead the implementation, in collaboration with actors from the public, private and civil society sectors. This plan is expected to promote a profound transformation in the Chilean textile industry, towards a more sustainable, equitable and environmentally friendly model.

Source: 

Ministerio del Medio Ambiente. (2024). Propuesta Estrategia de Economía Circular para Textiles al 2040. https://consultasciudadanas.mma.gob.cl/storage/consultation/XEqK0q9ibeDmBAykvsINbiTxumnGh71ddgS5hejg.pdf