Identifying data gaps in the textile industry and assessing current initiatives to address them

This study identifies data gaps throughout the textile industry supply and value chains, from fibre to the end of product life stage and assesses current initiatives addressing them. It also exposes the following challenges: missing data, data accessibility, data management, reliability and relevance, mandatory or non-mandatory data collection, data sharing, and data cost issues. Drawing on a literature review, 17 stakeholder interviews and 2 expert workshops, the study gathers essential insights from the field, and evaluates current and forthcoming initiatives for addressing data gaps. It goes on to discuss policy options geared towards using data to help achieve a sustainable transition and circular economy in the textile sector. Views on how to use data to tackle the fast fashion phenomenon are presented at the end of the study.