International Day of Zero Waste 2025

This year, for the first time, the day will be observed under the theme "Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles" to shed light on the environmental and social challenges caused by the sector's linear business model, which drives overproduction and overconsumption.

The textile sector embodies the whole waste agenda - from the importance of bolstering waste management glob-ally to the need to reduce waste generation and promote sustainable consumption and pro-duction patterns. Every year the textile sector is estimated to be responsible for 2-8% of global GHG emissions, the use of 215 trillion litres of water (the equivalent of 86 million Olympic-sized swimming pools), and 9% of annual microplastic pollution to oceans.

These staggering figures highlight the unsustainable practices driving the industry, where every second, the equivalent of a garbage truck full of clothing is incinerated or sent to landfills around the world, causing significant environmental, economic and social impacts, especially in the global south.

The New York Observance of Zero Waste, facilitated in-person, serves as a platform to under-score the critical importance of collective action in driving forward zero-waste initiatives, with a focus on fashion and textile waste.

1. Increase knowledge about the environmental and social impacts of fashion and textile waste and the potential of zero-waste solutions to promote sustainability and equity.
2. To inspire governments, producers, and consumers to embrace sustainable and circular practices, rethink manufacturing and consumption, reduce waste, and re-cover value from discarded textiles by showcasing initiatives and success stories in waste management, particularly in textiles and fashion, from Member States, young entrepreneurs and communities' initiatives.

Promoting zero-waste initiatives through this international day can help advance all the goals and targets in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including Sustainable Development Goal 11 and Sustainable Development Goal 12. These goals address all forms of waste, including food loss and waste, natural resource extraction and electronic waste.