By Obiabin Onukwugha
The International Day of Zero Waste is observed annually on March 30th. This year, the theme is “Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles,” focusing on reducing waste in the fashion and textile sector and promoting sustainability and circular economy principles.
The day is facilitated jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). It highlights the importance of bolstering waste management globally and the need to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns to address the waste pollution crisis.
According to reports, every year, humanity generates between 2.1 billion and 2.3 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste.
In a joint statement to observe 2025 Zero Waste Day, the UNEP and UN-Habitat emphasised that without urgent action, the annual waste generation will hit 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050.
It said: “Waste pollution threatens human health, costs the global economy hundreds of billions of dollars every year, and aggravates the triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature, land and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste.
“This year’s theme, Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles, focuses on the urgent need to take action to reduce the waste impact from the fashion and textile sector and promote sustainability and circularity.”
According to the statement, between 2000 and 2015, clothing production had doubled, yet, it is estimated that 92 million tonnes of textile waste is generated worldwide each year.
“This is equivalent to a truckload of clothing being incinerated or sent to landfills every second. It is driven by the rapid rise in production and consumption within the textile sector, causing severe environmental, economic, and social issues, especially in the Global South,” the statement said.
The UN bodies called for global cooperation from.governments, business and individuals in addressing the waste, saying, “Upstream solutions and a zero-waste approach are essential for tackling the waste pollution crisis while generating economic value. Achieving zero waste requires active contributions from governments, industry, and consumers.
“Governments, businesses, and individuals must embrace zero waste to overcome the waste pollution crisis. UNEP and UN-Habitat call on stakeholders – including governments, civil society, businesses, academia, communities, women and youth – to participate in national, subnational, regional and local zero-waste initiatives.”
But can Nigeria do away with its billion-dollar fashion and textile industry?
The Nigerian fashion industry, was estimated at $4.7 billion as at 2022. The industry has also grown in size and sophistication in the last decade, attracting global attention. This was propelled by the crave for African attire.
Unlike when English wears adorned ceremonies such as weddings and even office work, the Ankara has taken over with different trendy styles dished out almost on monthly basis by designers.
A GDP data reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), revealed that the “textile, apparel, and footwear” sector averaged a growth of 17 percent since 2010. This rise, according to the NBS has been fuelled partly by increased demand and partly by unprecedented initiatives that continue to edge Nigeria into the global fashion consciousness.
Events such as Lagos Fashion Week has also championed this movement through their anticipated annual runway shows and incubator-style techniques used to grow brands
Last year, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, said that the Federal Government had secured $3.5 billion in investments to enhance Nigeria’s textile, cotton, and apparel sector in one year.
