Browsing by Subject "garments"

The environmental detriments caused by textiles are multitude and large in scale. Substantial energy use and greenhouse gas emissions occur in the use phase of the garment. Using the lens of Consumption Work, this thesis maps the circular practices of active citizens related to textiles, i.e. clothes and home textiles, as well as the skills and other resources needed for the execution of the practices. The role of these practices in Circular Economy is considered through the 3R framework. Based on semi-structured interviews with 23 active citizens in Finland, a total of 29 circular practices related to clothes and home textiles were detected. The three most common practices among the interviewees were buying second-hand, repairing, and donating. In addition, this thesis contributes to identifying the invisible practices of planning/keeping books of purchases, recognizing materials, and others that are rarely mentioned in connection with Circular Economy. Textile-related circular practices were found to require different skills, such as sewing, and information searching, and other resources including time, knowledge, and equipment. For being able to have and use textiles, people are required to perform Consumption Work consisting of these textile-related practices of which some are mandatory, and some (more) voluntary. Citizens are increasingly expected to do Consumption Work with economic value in the future. This could be enabled e.g. through appearance of versatile second-hand shops and online platforms, and inspirational actions of others. In addition, structural changes at the state, municipal, and textile industry levels but also at the individual and societal levels are required. Further research is needed e.g. on what motivates people to take part in Circular Economy by conducting circular practices on individual and household levels, and how Consumption Work is divided between family members and genders.