Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP)

Our industry-led action plan delivers positive environmental and economic outcomes to organisations, by reducing carbon, water and waste through the SCAP 2020 Commitment. This Commitment involves manufacturers, retailers, local authorities and waste management companies, who have pledged to hit industry-led targets . The project is contributing to more sustainable modes of production and consumption by encouraging businesses to pledge to work towards reducing the negative environmental impacts of the fashion industry. WRAP has worked with Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP) signatories to build a knowledge-base of information on techniques for extending the life of clothes, which businesses can use to unlock the environmental benefits of designing clothing which has greater technical durability and will appeal to consumers for longer. WRAP has also published a progress report to see footprint reduction from its signatories related to the 2020 targets, showing changes between 2012-2017. The SCAP 2020 Commitment, along with supporters including trade associations, academic institutions, and non-governmental organisations, has 80 signatories, representing more than 58.5% of UK retail sales by volume and including a number of collectors, recyclers and charities. With businesses representing this percentage of retail sales having pledged to reduce their environmental footprints through SCAP, it is clear what a large impact the project will have. Already, the 2012-2017 progress report shows an 11.9% reduction in the carbon footprint per tonne of garments (the 2020 target is 15%), 17.7% reduction in the water footprint per tonne of garments (the 2020 target is 15%); and a 1.1% reduction in waste per tonne (the 2020 target is 3.5%) for the SCAP signatories. This progress report, as well as highlighting what has contributed to the current reductions, gives signatories, and others, a set of recommendations for reducing carbon footprint and overall waste further. Resources looking at manufacturing clothes more sustainably are available on the SCAP website (http://www.wrap.org.uk/sustainable-textiles/scap). You can also view the progress report and find out more about which businesses and companies are involved.