Disrupting the Linear Textile Model at the Community Scale

Abstract

The textile industry constitutes immense environmental, social and political concerns. Whereas the concerns exist at every stage of the life cycle including cultivation of raw materials, design, production, distribution, use and end of life; this research focused on social, economic and political issues arising during the management of postconsumer textile waste. The goal of this research was to examine models focused on disrupting the linear textile model and frame schemes aimed at decreasing the stream of exported clothing to developing countries. The study focused on understanding how ‘reuse’ interventions at the primary consumer level could reduce postconsumer textile waste with an emphasis on keeping textiles within the local community.