If you’ve ever asked yourself “what is circular fashion in practice?”, you’re not alone.
The idea of circular fashion is everywhere, but the reality often feels vague, technical, or out of reach.
At its core, circular fashion isn’t about perfection, it’s about reducing waste, extending the life of what already exists and designing systems that respect both people and resources. And while brands play a role, the real driver of circular fashion is you, the person choosing what to wear, how often, and why.
Our role at Shinaraa is simple: to make those choices clearer, more honest, and easier to act on.
What Circular Fashion Looks Like Beyond Recycling
When people think of circular fashion, recycling is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But circular fashion goes far beyond recycling alone.
In practice, it means questioning what happens before and after a garment is worn, including the fabric waste created during production. Most of the time, leftover fabric and deadstock disappear from the story entirely.
We believe they shouldn’t.
That’s why unused fabric scraps are taken back from Shinaraa’s factory and repurposed into smaller accessories such as scrunchies and pouch bags. These pieces extend the life of materials that would otherwise be discarded. Beyond that, leftover fabrics are also used in collaboration with local artisans in India through an NGO partner focused on empowering and upskilling underprivileged women. This work transforms excess materials into new opportunities for both people and products.
Circular fashion in practice is not about eliminating waste entirely. It’s about taking responsibility for it.
Why Circular Fashion Is Harder Than It Sounds
If circular fashion were easy, it would already be the industry standard.
One of the biggest challenges is making closed-loop systems scalable and affordable. Circular economy fashion often requires infrastructure, technology, and logistics that are still developing especially for smaller brands.
Material choice also matters more than most people realise. Organic fabrics, while environmentally preferable, usually have longer production lifecycles than synthetic alternatives. Blended fabrics such as cotton-polyester are also harder to separate and recycle at the end of their life.
Understanding these limitations is important, because circular fashion is not about idealism. It’s about making better decisions within real-world constraints, rather than chasing labels or quick fixes.
How You Participate in Circular Fashion (Without Buying More)
Circular fashion doesn’t start in the factory, it starts with how garments are used.
Wearing clothes longer, repairing instead of replacing, and choosing pieces designed for longevity all play a role. That’s why our focus over the next few years is not on producing more, but on producing better.
This means prioritising garment longevity, recyclability, and repair while also exploring textile technology that helps reduce waste and conserve natural resources throughout production. Education matters here too, so understanding why circular fashion exists can empowers consumers to make informed choices without guilt or pressure.
Circular fashion works best when it feels practical, not performative.
The Role of Circular Supply Chains and Manufacturing Partners
Behind every garment is a supply chain that either adds to waste or actively reduces it.
Our manufacturing partners use closed-loop production processes, where water used during finishing is treated and reused instead of discharged. These systems help reduce CO₂ emissions, lower reliance on virgin materials, and decrease overall water and energy consumption.
End-of-life products and fabric scraps are also collected through reverse logistics, ensuring materials are responsibly managed rather than forgotten. Circular fashion supply chains are not perfect, but they are an important step toward accountability — especially when transparency is prioritized over marketing claims. Why Circular Fashion Shouldn’t Be a Luxury
One common misconception is that sustainable or circular fashion must always cost more.
We don’t believe that choosing an environmentally conscious product should come with a premium simply for doing the right thing. Circular fashion should be accessible, honest, and grounded in real value, not positioned as an exclusive upgrade.
True circular fashion business models focus less on trends and more on responsibility such as designing systems that work better over time, not louder in the moment.
Circular Fashion Is a Process, not a Promise
Circular fashion isn’t a destination you arrive at, it’s a continuous process of learning, adapting, and improving. It requires brands to be transparent about both progress and limitations, and it invites consumers to participate in ways that feel realistic and human.
If circular fashion is going to work, it must work in real life not just in theory.
And that’s where the most meaningful change begins. Circular fashion doesn’t ask you to be perfect, it asks you to be intentional.