Fashion clothing consumption and waste flows in the Auckland region: towards understanding textile waste and consumption streams

The research contained within this report aims to elucidate and quantify, where possible, consumption and waste streams of fashion textiles in the Auckland region. We are guided by the following objectives, to provide:

• a detailed description of the structure of the clothing sector and clothing flows, including the identification of Auckland’s contribution to New Zealand’s textile footprint
• a quantification of clothing imported into Auckland and New Zealand by weight, fibre type, and general application
• a quantification of the tonnages of clothing discarded before being sold or worn
• an understanding of the proportion of textiles in the New Zealand market attributable to clothing
• a quantification of local clothing manufacture
• an estimate of rates of clothing consumption per person, per annum
• an understanding of reasons for clothing disposal and an estimate of disposed tonnages
• an assessment of the durability of certain types of clothing available on the New Zealand market
• an understanding of practices relating to clothing reuse, recycling, or repair.

This report has been prepared by Sapere Research Group for Auckland City Council as part of its statutory obligations under the Waste Minimisation Act to produce a Waste Assessment and associated Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP). The research also aligns with the Council’s commitments under Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Action Plan to be carbon neutral by 2025.

The report was written by Preston Davies, Professor Raechel Laing, Dr Jamie O’Hare, and Kelvin Woock.