As Seamless, the world’s first circular product stewardship scheme commences operations, we warmly welcome the announcement that the Productivity Commission will lead an inquiry into opportunities to boost circularity across the Australian economy.
The inquiry, jointly announced in August 2024 by The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water and The Hon Jim Chalmers MP, Treasurer, has been created to explore “sustainable solutions that are good for the environment and good for business – helping to cut waste going to landfill while also encouraging more efficient use of raw materials.”
The Productivity Commission inquiry was a key recommendation of the Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group, which advises the Australian Government on ways to realise opportunities associated with the circular economy.
Focus of the inquiry
Over the next twelve months the Productivity Commission inquiry will:
- Explore the potential for Australia to improve resource productivity in ways that benefit the economy and the environment – including by providing more choices for consumers.
- Identify priority areas for Australia, including considering where other countries have made the greatest progress.
- Identify barriers that limit the efficient use of raw materials and prospective approaches to address them.
Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek MP said, “The transition to a circular economy clearly requires economy-wide changes, with innovative thinking and reforms from governments and businesses. This is the opportunity that the Productivity Commission will explore, and I look forward to its report.”
Driving the clothing industry towards circularity
As a circular clothing product stewardship scheme, Seamless is investing pooled funding from responsible clothing brands and retailers into initiatives from circular design, clothing rental and repair pilots and programs, through to end-of-life take backs, recycling and citizen behaviour change.
Investments like these will drive the industry towards clothing circularity by 2030, and we can only do it if all brands, retailers and industry leaders join forces and collaborate to do what no single organisation can do alone.
If you’re a clothing brand or retailer procuring clothes for the Australian market, find out more about becoming a Seamless member.
If you’re an organisation or individual that has an active interest in the sustainability of the clothing industry in Australia, find out more about becoming a Seamless supporter. You could be an industry expert or association, an academic institution, a government agency, manufacturer, technology supplier or reuse or recycling operator.
Read the joint media release from The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water and The Hon Jim Chalmers MP, Treasurer, ‘Productivity Commission inquiry to explore circular economy benefits’.
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