Understanding Bangladesh’s Textile Waste Supply Chain: Through Material Flow and Scenario Analysis

Worldwide the textile and clothing industry is responsible for around 10% of global carbon emissions. Furthermore, the upstream activities (fiber production and manufacturing etc.) can account for around 70% of these emissions. Bangladesh, is a significant player in the global apparel export maintaining its 2nd position with increasing market share (6.4% in 2021 to 7.9% in 2022). It is also the second-largest apparel supplier to the European Union. Recycling 1 ton of textile waste can save around 3.376 tons of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gas emissions. Annually, Bangladesh is expected to produce between 500,000-700,000 tons of textile and RMG pre-consumer (industrial) waste (aka Jhut/Jhoot, in the local language). Half of this waste is based on pure cotton, which represents around 15% of the country’s annual cotton import. However, currently, Bangladesh is reported to recycle only 5% to 25% of this waste. The existing textile waste management system in the country is extremely informal, yet massive at the same time, comprising around 20,000-22,000 traders. Establishing transparency and governance by formalizing this sector are some of the key challenges for Bangladesh. This will require a comprehensive understanding of the existing waste management network, quantifying the volumes of waste flowing through it and developing insights into future waste generation scenarios for the country. Through several interviews, field visits, and literature reviews, the existing textile waste management network was mapped. Additionally, a nationwide material flow analysis was conducted to quantify the volumes of waste within this network. Finally, a scenario analysis exercise was conducted to project future waste volumes in the country. The study revealed a staggering 30% of material loss throughout the entire process, with around 20% being classified as Jhut/ Jhoot waste. Scenario analysis in this study shows that Bangladesh, by 2030, could generate cotton-based waste that is four times its existing recycling capacity. ...