Central Ohio Textile & Fashion Waste Report

The Columbus Fashion Alliance commissioned Mive Labs to conduct region-wide research on the state of textile waste in Central Ohio. The Columbus Textile and Fashion Waste Report was funded by SWACO's Community Waste Reduction Grant.

People are consuming more clothing than ever before. The United Nations estimates today’s average consumer buys 60% more pieces of clothing than 15 years ago, while those garments' lifespan is only half as long. With over 150 billion new clothing items being produced globally, the overproduction and overconsumption of clothing have led to textile waste being one of the largest land pollutants.

The Franklin County Sanitary Landfill receives over forty-six thousand tons of textile waste annually, and it is expected to reach capacity in 42 years. Mive Labs conducted a comprehensive analysis of textile waste within Central Ohio to uncover:

1.) From where and how is textile waste being generated in Central Ohio?

2.) What ways can textile recycling create new economic opportunities in Central Ohio?