Highlights
- Fully embedded circularity into their business model - from production and procurement to operations and people
- Reuse and remanufacturing are fully ingrained in business operations. They’re continually improving their technologies and processes and seeking new collaborations to further expand their growth in resale and reuse
- Promote ‘hire and reuse’ as an alternative to ‘use and dispose’, working with suppliers, to optimise the lifetime of garments
- Business model resulted in a significant 24% reduction in carbon emissions in 2023
Through innovative initiatives, ACS Clothing Ltd. based in Bellshill, provides a comprehensive approach to textile management; minimising waste and reducing the environmental footprint while maximising value and sustainability across the lifecycle of clothing.
They have fully embedded circularity into all aspects of their business model, from production and procurement to operations and people. They are leading and supporting the fashion sector in Scotland to combat the existing linear model of ‘use and dispose’ and move to a circular approach of ‘hire and reuse’, ensuring that the lifetime of garments is optimised. This has required significant investment in specialised equipment and training in advanced skills.
The business collaborates extensively with the fashion and textiles sector and with academia to further develop the business. Recent new partnerships with North Face and Decathlon have seen an expansion of their rental services to include items such as ski wear and other outdoor gear. Research projects with academia have ranged from staff wellbeing to Artificial Intelligence (AI) recognition of clothing garments. Senior management have also worked to influence government policy in areas such as Extended Producer Responsibility and eliminating VAT from sustainable clothing.
ACS is leading in their sector with their innovative laundry rejuvenation tunnel, automated textile handling, vertical storage solution and garment repair system, as well as digital monitoring of their circular operations. These approaches, embedded into their business model enabled them to achieve a significant 24% reduction in carbon emissions in 2023, cutting 380 tonnes of CO₂ compared to 2022, despite the company growing from 60 to 160 staff. ACS is looking at further environmental opportunities that will also provide economic benefits, these include eliminating single-use cardboard and polythene packaging and investigating alternative shipping and haulage opportunities.
ACS employ and support a diverse workforce; 15% of staff are disabled and a further 10% are refugees. They have frameworks in place and training available to support and enable every staff member to be fully integrated into the workplace. Staff retention levels are high and there are opportunities for development and progression, with the example of one senior manager progressing from an initial role on the factory floor.