The global waste crisis is getting worse, not better
Every year, the world produces over 2.24 billion tonnes of solid waste. By 2050, that number is expected to skyrocket to 3.88 billion tonnes. (1) Most of that waste is landfilled, burned, or dumped—not recycled. Despite decades of awareness campaigns, we’re throwing more away than ever. And we’re running out of places to put it.
Zero Waste Day (March 30), declared by the United Nations, is a global reminder: our waste systems are broken. We need to stop pretending that tossing something in a bin is the end of the story.
What "zero waste" really means
Zero waste isn't about having an empty bin or fitting your rubbish into a glass jar. It’s about systems thinking. It's about designing waste out of the system entirely by:
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Keeping materials in circulation for as long as possible
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Designing products to last, repair, and be reused
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Phasing out materials that can’t be recycled or composted
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Creating infrastructure to take back, recover, and recycle at end of life
True zero-waste systems are circular. They don’t rely on individual perfection. They rely on smart design, brand accountability, and real infrastructure.
Australia’s waste landscape: the hard truth
Australia generates 74 million tonnes of waste every year—roughly 2.9 tonnes per person. (2)
While we recycle around 63% of that, a huge amount still ends up in landfill, incinerators, or worse. One of the biggest culprits? Textiles.
We send over 200,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill each year, with less than 1% of that being recycled into new garments. (3)
Clothing waste is particularly problematic because of its mixed fibres, fast turnover, and lack of end-of-life options. Most brands have no system in place to deal with the waste they produce. And that’s not an accident—it’s a design choice.
Why waste is a design problem
Most waste doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because something was:
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Made with materials that can’t be recycled
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Built to break (planned obsolescence)
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Packaged in plastic that ends up in landfill
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Sold with no plan for what happens after it’s used
If it was designed to be thrown away, that’s where it ends up.
Zero waste starts at the design stage. That means responsibility sits with brands, manufacturers, governments—not just individuals.
What real solutions look like
We need more than guilt and good intentions. We need brands and businesses to build systems that actually prevent waste:
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Designing for longevity: using durable materials, not fast-fashion fillers
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Using recycled + recyclable materials: not just in products, but in packaging
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Offering take-back and repair schemes
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Building true end-of-life solutions: like fibre-to-fibre recycling
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Transparent auditing + data reporting
It’s not about marketing buzzwords. It’s about infrastructure.
What we’re doing at Underwear for Humanity
We make undies, bras and socks—small items, but big impact. And we take full responsibility for every item we produce.
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We downcycle + recycle end-of-life underwear: first in Australia to do it!
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We use certified recycled nylon, and recycled elastic
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We don’t use plastic packaging: our mailers and inner bags are fully compostable or recycled
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We donate one for one: because waste isn't just environmental—it's social too
We’re not perfect. But we’re building a circular system that works.
SOURCES
(1) World Bank: What a Waste 2.0, 2022
(2) Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023
(3) Australian Fashion Council: National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme
