XTM commits further to circular economy mindset

TORQUAY snow and outdoor wear company XTM Performance has signed a new environmental partnership to help transform how clothing is made, enjoyed and recycled in Australia.

The certified B-Corporation will be working with Australia’s clothing stewardship scheme Seamless in an effort to make Australian clothing truly circular by 2030.

As part of the scheme, XTM will make a financial contribution per garment on all new products on the Australian market.

XTM director Andrew Flitton said the company was thrilled to be helping set a standard locally and globally.

“It’s really fantastic to be a part of this new venture as we collaboratively help make a more circular economy.

“All the funds will go into a pool to research ways to improve circularity generally from a design perspective.

“We are already a B-Corporation and carbon neutral, and this is another great step for us.”

Australia presently has no systematic mechanism for the collection of unwearable clothing, and limited clothing and textiles reprocessing infrastructure on a national scale.

More than 200,000 tonnes of clothing goes into landfill each year, overwhelming sorting and landing spaces across the country.

“The more mixed materials you have in a garment, the more difficult it is to be recycled. The aim is one polyester garment, turns into one polyester garment and so on,” Mr Flitton said.

“It’s about the fashion industry coming together about this problem before the government comes in and puts hurdles in place.

“A circular economy is something one can’t achieve on their own, so it’s great to be on the ride with other businesses and Seamless to benefit society and the environment.”

Seamless chief executive director Ainsley Simpson said she was thrilled XTM had joined the environmental-friendly movement.

“Joining Seamless is a commitment to continuous improvement, to sharing knowledge in a pre-competitive environment and collaborating to accelerate business, industry and Australian priorities, despite these challenging economic times.

“XTM’s involvement is a credible demonstration that sustainability is a strategic commercial objective, with leaders like Andrew committed to leaving a better legacy.”