The textile industry has a significant impact on global warming. The sector is one of the biggest contributors to CO2 equivalent emissions, accounting for about 10% of global carbon emissions, and produces 20% of wastewater globally. In addition, chemicals from dyes pollute the air and water, and cause irreparable environmental damage to land and maritime life. To put things in perspective, it takes about 2,700 liters of water to produce a cotton shirt. In comparison, one person would take 10 years to drink 10,000 litres of water (link in the source). In 2021, Singapore generated 189,000 tonnes of textile and leather waste with only 4 %, or 7,000 tonnes, being recycled. This textile waste also included school uniforms, which form a significant part of school-related waste. While the Ministry of Education of Singapore mandates the use of school uniforms in schools, the reuse, repurposing and recycling of uniforms is at the discretion of parents and students and highly dependent on their individual levels of environmental consciousness and commitment. In early 2023, Changkat Primary School (CKPS), the CKPS Parents in Education (PIE) Club and SMU-X initiated the project "The Circular School". The objective was to help CKPS become a greener school and to demonstrate how an education institution and key stakeholders – especially parents and students - can reduce textile waste generated in the school context and make a meaningful contribution towards Sustainable Development Goals 12 (SDG 12 - Responsible Production and Consumption). The pilot project at CKPS included a quantative survey with parents and students as well as focus group discussions with representatives from the school, the PIE Club ExCo, CKPS parents and students. Over 300 students and about 100 parents participated in the survey. The survey outcomes will be published in a dedicated section on this website soon. One recommendation was to set up a system in Singapore that would promote the sustainable use of school uniforms and contribute to a mindset change towards sustainability among parents and students through awareness creation and knowledge campaigns. This recommendation led to the establishment of the social enterprise The Circular Classroom. Photo: Students from SMU-X Course with CKPS Parents after Focus Group Discussion