A Step Forward – But Are We Addressing the Root Of The Problem?
In response to: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/publications/national-policy-statement-and-roadmap-on-circular-textiles
A blog post from Olena. May 2026.
Ireland has taken an important step toward addressing textile waste with the publication of its national policy statement and roadmap on circular textiles by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. The document sets out a vision for reducing textile waste, increasing reuse and recycling, and aligning with EU circular economy targets.
This is a welcome and necessary move. Textiles are one of the fastest-growing waste streams in Europe, driven by overproduction, fast fashion, and limited reuse systems. However, while the roadmap focuses strongly on waste management and recycling infrastructure, it raises a critical concern: are these actions sufficient to achieve circular textiles? Without applying systems thinking and implementing bio-based solutions, such as a hemp-based circular economy, these ambitions will be unlikely to be fully achieved.
Are we solving the root of the problem – or merely managing its consequences, while overlooking the potential of bio-based solutions, such as a hemp-based circular economy?
The Missing Link: Materials
The roadmap emphasises collection systems, extended producer responsibility (EPR), and recycling targets. These are all essential. But circularity does not begin at the end of a product’s life – it begins at the design and material stage.
Today, the majority of textiles are made from:
- Synthetic fibres derived from fossil fuels (e.g. polyester, nylon)
- Resource-intensive natural fibres (e.g. conventional cotton)
- Blended textiles (e.g. cotton-polyester)
These materials are difficult to recycle, often non-biodegradable, and contribute to microplastic pollution.
A truly circular textile system must therefore prioritise material substitution – shifting toward fibres that are renewable, low-impact, and biodegradable.
Hemp: A Circular Fibre Already Available
One of the most overlooked solutions in the textile transition is Hemp.
Hemp offers multiple advantages:
- Requires minimal water compared to cotton
- Grows without the need for synthetic pesticides
- Improves soil health and supports biodiversity
- Produces strong, durable fibres suitable for textiles
- Fully biodegradable at the end of life
- Offers natural thermoregulating properties – keeping the body warm in cold conditions and cool in heat
- Exhibits moisture-wicking and antimicrobial properties, helping to reduce odour and improve hygiene in clothing such as socks and everyday wear
Unlike synthetic fibres, hemp does not release microplastics. Unlike conventional cotton, it does not rely on intensive agricultural inputs. This makes it highly compatible with circular economy principles.
Yet, despite its potential, hemp remains largely absent from national textile strategies.
Reduce dependency on low-cost textile imports from China by building a domestic hemp-based value chain
Ireland should gradually reduce its reliance on low-cost textile imports from China, many of which are associated with high environmental impacts, weak supply chain transparency, and serious labour rights concerns, including reported risks of forced and child labour in parts of global textile production. At the same time, Ireland should invest in a domestic hemp fibre and textile sector. By growing, processing, and manufacturing hemp-based textiles locally, Ireland can strengthen resilience, support ethical production, create green jobs, and build greater material independence within a circular economy.
Hemp and Quality Standards: Aligning with EU Ecodesign and Circular Design
Declining product quality – particularly in components such as zips and fastenings – is significantly reducing the lifespan of clothing. In many cases, a broken zip renders a garment unusable, while repair can be technically difficult, costly, or economically unattractive compared to purchasing a new item. This contributes directly to premature disposal and increasing textile waste.
Addressing this issue requires alignment with the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and broader circular design principles, which emphasise durability, reparability, and product longevity as core requirements. Implementing stricter quality standards for both materials and components would ensure that garments are designed to last, reducing waste at its source rather than managing it at end-of-life.
Hemp-based textiles are particularly well-suited to support this transition. Due to their natural fibre strength, durability, and resistance to wear, hemp materials can contribute to longer-lasting garments that maintain performance over time. When combined with high-quality design and manufacturing standards, hemp textiles can help reduce the frequency of product failure, minimise the need for repair, and in some cases avoid it altogether.
Prioritise circular textile systems while integrating responsible waste-to-energy solutions.
Ireland can draw lessons from Copenhagen, where non-recyclable waste is converted into energy. However, within a circular textile system, waste-to-energy should be carefully positioned as a last-resort option for textiles that cannot be reused or recycled.
At the same time, there is potential to explore small-scale, decentralised solutions at a community level for managing unavoidable textile waste and organic fibres. When combined with bio-based materials such as hemp, which are free from synthetic toxins, these systems can offer safer and more efficient energy recovery without releasing harmful microplastics. This reinforces the importance of shifting toward natural fibres in the first place.
Moving Beyond Landfill
Ireland should move toward banning the landfill disposal of textiles, following the example of South Korea, where strict waste separation and enforcement mechanisms have significantly reduced waste volumes.
Introducing stronger regulation – including fines for improper disposal of textiles – would incentivise better sorting, reuse, and recycling practices. This would help ensure that valuable materials remain within the economy, rather than being lost to landfill, and support the transition toward a truly circular textile system.
Circularity Starts at the Beginning
Ireland’s Circular Textiles Roadmap is a strong and necessary step forward. But without addressing the materials entering the system, it risks focusing more on waste management than true circular transformation.
Hemp is not a future innovation – it is an existing, scalable solution.
Integrating hemp into Ireland’s textile strategy would:
- Reduce environmental impact
- Support circular design
- Strengthen local economies
- Improve product durability
- Enable safer end-of-life solutions
“Circularity does not start with waste. It starts with what we choose to produce.“
For Questions and comments you can contact Olena via LinkedIn.