Circularity, Garment Durability, and Just Transition: Understanding the Trinary Interrelationship through an Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Large quantities of second-hand clothing have been exported from the Global North to the Global South in recent decades, placing a heavy social and environmental burden on local communities. Consequently, countries in the Global South are leveraging indigenous craftsmanship through various practices, such as care, repair, and upcycling, to enable durability and extend product life, saving millions of garments from landfills. However, this knowledge is not included in global narratives on durability and the circular economy. Moreover, the Global North dominates the conversation, often leaving out the social dimension and risking a circular transition from achieving important goals such as decent jobs to reducing the unequal distribution of negative environmental and social impacts. This study examines the trinary interrelationship between circularity, garment durability, and just transition through an integrative literature review. The review revealed several key findings. Firstly, the authors posit that garment durability is an ongoing interaction between the garment and its changing environment(s) and user(s), enabling it to move through different life cycles via the practices of care, mending, and repair. Secondly, all three concepts must place people at the heart of the fashion industry to ensure a just and circular transition.