NEWS & CSR

Fashion Waste Crisis in Indonesia: How Clothing Waste Is Being Handled

18 Jan 2026 | 111 Views | News Category: Sustainability

Did you know that the clothes you throw away could become part of the growing mountain of fashion waste that has become a serious environmental issue in Indonesia?
From fast fashion items that quickly wear out to the continuous import of secondhand clothing, the challenge of clothing waste is becoming increasingly real in 2025—and the solution requires collective collaboration.

What Is Clothing Waste and Why Does It Matter?

Definition of Clothing Waste

Clothing waste, or textile waste, includes used garments, leftover fabric from production, and textile materials that are no longer used and end up discarded into the environment. This has become a global issue because:

The fashion industry produces around 92 million tons of textile waste every year worldwide, according to Kompas.
Many garments are worn only a few times before being discarded, increasing the accumulation of waste.

Environmental & Consumption Impact

It is not only the volume that makes clothing waste problematic; its environmental impact is also significant because:

Many garments are made from synthetic fibers that are difficult to decompose, potentially leaving microplastics in soil and water.
Textile production consumes large amounts of water and energy and contributes to significant carbon emissions.

The Current State of Clothing Waste in Indonesia

National Textile Waste Volume

In Indonesia, textile waste is a major challenge in national waste management. According to official data:

Textile waste contributes around 2.87% of total national waste, or approximately 1.75 million tons per year.
Other reports estimate national textile waste production at around 2.3 million tons per year, with the trend continuing to rise if left unaddressed.

This shows that clothing and textile waste are a significant yet often overlooked part of Indonesia’s waste problem.

Consumption Trends & Secondhand Clothing Imports

In addition to domestic waste, Indonesia has also become a destination for imported secondhand clothing, which continued to increase until August 2025 according to Databoks. This adds to the volume of waste that must be managed and further complicates waste management efforts.

How Is Indonesia Addressing Clothing Waste?

1. Circular Economy Policies

The Indonesian government has included the textile sector as a priority in the Circular Economy Roadmap 2024–2050, focusing on:

Improving recycling infrastructure
Encouraging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for clothing manufacturers
Reducing waste from upstream to downstream

This approach is expected to accelerate the transition from a linear model (make–use–dispose) to a more sustainable circular economy.

2. Industry Programs & Collaboration

Several concrete initiatives are already underway, including:

Textile recycling initiatives by platforms such as Reverse Resources, which help track and process textile waste for recycling purposes.
Campaigns and educational events such as Sustainable Fashion Fest 2025, which promote sustainable fashion and cross-sector collaboration.

3. The Role of Society & Consumers

As consumers, we also play an important role in reducing clothing waste by:

Reducing impulsive purchases, especially fast fashion products that wear out quickly
Donating or upcycling used clothing that is still wearable
Supporting sustainable brands that implement material recycling practices

Challenges That Still Need to Be Addressed

Low Recycling Rates

Despite ongoing efforts, the reality is that less than 10% of global textile fibers are currently reused as new materials. This highlights the need for greater technological development, investment, and collective awareness to expand textile recycling capacity.

Uneven Infrastructure

Managing clothing waste requires strong facilities and management systems, from manufacturing to end consumers. This is an area that still needs significant improvement across many regions in Indonesia, especially outside major cities.

The issue of clothing waste in Indonesia is far from minor. With volumes reaching millions of tons per year, the urgency for collective action is clear. The involvement of government, industry, communities, and consumers like you is crucial to advancing the circular economy, reducing environmental impact, and transforming yarns and fabrics from mere waste into valuable resources that can be reused.

Being wise in fashion choices means caring for the environment and the future.

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