Dutch “circular” fashion jobs still insecure and low-paid, research shows
The Netherlands is often hailed as a leader in the circular economy, but in her PhD thesis, Lis Suarez Visbal from Utrecht ľϸӰ reveals a hidden problem. While circular fashion in the Netherlands may be environmentally sustainable, research shows it is not yet socially sustainable: many of the so-called “green jobs" in the Dutch textile sector are far from fair.
The Dutch sector offers striking examples. For Instance, several repair and remanufacturing social enterprises, and even recycling facilities, are often praised for providing opportunities to vulnerable groups. These positions often exist because companies receive employment subsidies to hire people who need help finding work/reintegrating. While in principle this is positive in itself, in practice, these jobs are commonly tied to short-term employment subsidies. But since there is not much large-scale production or remanufacturing happening in the Netherlands, once the subsidy period ends, these workers struggle to find stable, full-time jobs with proper benefits and are left scrambling for new positions, often again on temporary contracts and at minimum wage. This creates a revolving door of insecure work, which may look good in statistics but does not build lasting livelihoods. In addition, gender inequalities persist, as women tend to take up part-time or less secure contracts due to family responsibilities, resulting in a gender pay gap even within supposedly “sustainable” circular jobs.
Structural weakness
Similar patterns were found in Spain. There, repair, remanufacture and recycling initiatives are also dominated by temporary, low-wage jobs, with limited long-term career prospects. The parallels between the Netherlands and Spain show that this is not an isolated problem, but a structural weakness in the sector across Europe.
Global trend
In India, which exports circular fashion to Europe and recyles a significant amount of European textile waste, the picture looks different but is equally concerning. There, repair, remanufacture and recycling are often carried out in the informal sector, where workers have no contracts, no social security, and no protections. Men typically earn more than women, even when performing similar work, and the absence of regulation leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation. The research, which looked at 60 companies across the Netherlands, Spain and India, highlights a global trend: whether in Europe or Asia, circular fashion may reduce environmental impacts, but unless social justice is built in, it risks replicating the same insecurities and inequalities of fast fashion.
Precarious jobs
For the circular transition to truly succeed, it must deliver not only environmental benefits but also fair, stable, and dignified work. At home in the Netherlands, the findings of the four-year body of work raises an urgent question: can the Netherlands remain a frontrunner in the circular economy if the jobs it creates are still precarious?
Improvements
As part of her research, Suarez Visbal developed a set of practical tools that directly connect environmental goals with social justice. One of these enables companies to evaluate whether their circular initiatives are improving workers’ lives. This framework has already attracted international attention: the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is adopting it as a basis for broader social impact assessments across circular industries. She has also provided guidance to governmental and non-governmental agencies in India, Spain and the Netherlands on how to shape circular policies that protect workers while addressing environmental concerns.
“We are happy that companies that engaged with this approach during the research process have already introduced tangible improvements, such as better working conditions, employee committees, well-being and circularity training programmes, says Suarez-Visbal. “This shows that with the right approach, companies can already shift to more inclusive circular practice today”.