How Japan Is Cutting Out Clothes Waste

By 2030, Japan wants to reduce its clothing waste by 25% compared with 2020 levels, when around 512,000 metric tons of clothes were thrown away.

For context, the fashion industry has become the world’s second biggest polluter after oil and gas. Global textile waste in 2024 was 120 million metric tons, with 80% either being sent to landfill or incinerated. Only 12% was reused — and while 7% could have been recycled, less than 1% actually was.

Japan wants to increase how much of its old clothing gets recycled — but it also wants to stop households from throwing out so much to begin with. A sustainable fashion website run by the country’s Ministry of the Environment has tips for both individuals and businesses to help make this happen.

First, it says to wear the clothing you own for as long as possible. Clothes being worn for a year or longer would mean a 30,000-metric-ton reduction of Japan’s national clothing waste. This tip is paired with instructing the fashion industry to design products to be worn for a long time.

Repairing clothes is also a way to reduce waste. People can learn to do this themselves, but some brands are already offering repair services. For example, the popular clothing chain Uniqlo offers repair and alteration services in both Japanese stores and around the world.

If you want something different to wear for a special occasion, the environment ministry’s website suggests looking at rental services or even doing clothing swaps with friends. You could also buy secondhand clothes, saving them from the landfill.

But even when shopping for new clothes, there are some questions you can ask yourself before you buy. The first one is, “Do I really need this?” And if that’s a yes, look at the fabric and quality of the item — will you wear it for a long time?

The cost of clothing has fallen in recent years, but so has the quality and how long we wear it for. That low price could just mean more waste!