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A staggering were forecast to be dumped in UK landfill in 2017, while the average American is estimated to bin annually. Overconsumption and the inevitable disposal of unwanted clothing has become a worrying global problem – and in many cases, this clothing is unnecessarily thrown away. Instead, it could be repaired or recycled.

Filling landfill with clothing and textiles costs the UK alone an estimated every year. But on the flip side, the consumption of clothing is hugely important to the economies of many countries, too. Research from , for example, found that fashion contributes £28 billion directly to the UK economy – and globally, it is a industry.

Despite this, materialistic values and a widespread , twinned with fashion's premise to create – and sell – different styles, has reduced the functional value of clothing, making it easily disposable. A staggering are being produced annually, and are disposed of within a year.

In fact, recent figures show that is thrown away every second globally. Little wonder, then, that fashion has been dubbed – even by insiders.

The problem with fashion

Fashion and sustainability have historically had an uncomfortable relationship. The 2013 in Bangladesh, along with growing concerns over sweatshop labour, have seen fashion companies overhaul their social and environmental impacts. Consumers, meanwhile, have grown increasingly concerned about where and how garments are made. But while fashion takes strides to become ethical, there are still serious concerns over its environmental impact and contribution to climate change.

Fashion is deemed to be one of the world's industries – from toxic chemical use to water pollution and waste. Some 35% of the global total of comes from clothes and textiles, meaning fashion is a major contributor to this pollution. By 2050, it is anticipated, the fashion industry will use up .

So what's the solution? A seeks to move beyond fashion's linear model of take, make and waste, to close the loop, designing out waste and minimising environmental impacts. While fashion brands work to limit their polluting practices through the creation of organic, environmentally conscious collections, there is still a need to limit the sheer volume of waste that fashion creates.

has become an important initiative to address this. H&M, for example, has a successful , repurposing their consumers' unwanted clothing. Other brands, meanwhile, are using recycled materials to create clothing. Outdoor clothing brand has made polyester fleece out of recycled plastic bottles.

While recycling could achieve circulatory by designing out waste, it is problematic environmentally. Recycling is energy intensive and may require use of further virgin materials. Additionally, while it resolves some of fashion's sustainability issues, it does not adequately address the problem that consumers buy too much, and that the average number of times a garment is worn has since 2000. We must reconsider how fashion is sold, encouraging consumers to waste less, and ensure that garments have a longer life span.

Are rentals the future?

, the UK's resource efficiency agency, has identified leasing as an that gives clothes a longer service life, while reducing material use and carbon dioxide emissions. A recent survey conducted by Westfield Shopping Centre in London also proposed that would become a key future trend.

The possible value of the clothing rental market in the UK is predicted to be and the model is already well-established for certain items, such as dinner jackets and wedding suits for men. Despite this, there are currently just a handful of fashion companies that have adopted a leasing model. At , for example, consumers can lease a pair of organic jeans, and after a year can keep, swap or return them. , meanwhile, was founded in the UK in 2009, under the ethos that in a sharing economy ownership will become obsolete.

In America, Rent the Runway has become a significant player in the . These companies are built on change, but undoubtedly they face the challenges of the traditional sales-driven fashion system, along with consumer hesitation.

has explored the potential for clothing rental among consumers. While we found there were opportunities certainly at the luxury end of the market, there was a definite resistance to rental of lower priced items, which were just too easy to buy.

If consumers are to engage, rentals need to be convenient, cheap, accessible and fulfil the desire for having something new. Consumers are open to change and leasing could help achieve a more circular fashion industry. However, there are issues to consider from transportation through to dry cleaning impacts. Clothing rental has the potential to reduce waste and increase the lifespan of garments, but to achieve a more sustainable industry a systemic change in business practice and consumer behaviour is needed.

This article was originally published on . Read the .