Solving the colossal waste issue in the fashion industry has proven to be a challenging task, with millions of tons of clothing ending up in landfills or less-equipped countries annually. Amidst this, the promises of thrifting and greenwashing from brands have fallen short. However, a potential game-changer in the form of an app-based fashion technology platform named SIXR aims to incentivize users to adopt a more sustainable approach through unique QR codes.

Fashion, notorious for its waste and emissions, sees 40 million tonnes of clothing discarded each year. SIXR collaborates with garment companies, using QR codes to track the entire lifecycle of a garment – from design and production to recycling or the start of a new life. The platform encourages consumers to purchase clothes through the SIXR app, wear them for their estimated lifespan, and return them using the QR code once their lifecycle concludes.

Upon returning the garment to SIXR’s recycling partners, users receive monetary rewards in the form of discounts on their subsequent purchases. The use of financial incentives, rather than relying solely on the “feel-good” aspect of sustainable clothing, is a strategic move by SIXR to foster a fashion recycling movement and establish a circular economy. The company, in collaboration with recycling partners, adheres to the 6R paradigm – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, Rethink, and Repair – aiming to address the Trillion-Dollar fashion crisis.

Gagan Singh, CEO and Co-founder of SIXR, highlights the flaw in the current linear apparel economy, marked by a “Take->Make->Waste” approach. The linear flow of garments contributes to the accumulation of new raw materials in landfills instead of fostering recycling. SIXR proposes a circular economy where materials circulate within the same loop multiple times, reducing both the waste problem and the constant need for new resources and materials. This innovative approach signifies a potential breakthrough in tackling the immense environmental challenges posed by the fashion industry.