A report titled Sorting for Circularity Europe provides key findings for a more circular use of textiles. We’ve summed up the most important ones.
Three-quarters of post-consumer textiles in Europe could be recycled and used for new clothing. This is the conclusion of Sorting for Circularity Europe, a report by Fashion for Good in collaboration with Circle Economy.
74 percent, or 494,000 tons, of low-value post-consumer textiles are available, could be reintroduced into the textile cycle, and are “suitable for closing the loop in the clothing and textiles sector across six European countries.”
The authors estimate that reintroducing sorted textiles into the textiles value chain could result in a value increase of €74 million per year. They used near-infrared (NIR) technology to examine 21 tons of post-consumer garments in Belgium, the Netherlands, the U.K., Germany, Poland and Spain. 42 percent of the used textiles consisted of cotton (some with elastane), while blends accounted for the second-largest share at 32 percent.
More textiles fit for chemical than mechanical recycling
About one-fifth of the materials would be suitable for mechanical recycling, and 53 percent for chemical recycling. By detailing these findings, the authors aim to provide a basis for business models, investments and policies that would effect a shift towards a circular economy. Sorting for Circularity Europe also provides recommendations for collectors/sorters/recyclers, brands/manufacturers, policymakers and consumers.
Recommendations for brands and manufacturers
The authors recommend that brands and manufacturers “prioritize designing for appropriate lifecycles” and adopt “circular design practices prioritizing mono materiality, reducing disruptors where possible and incorporating recycled fibers into product portfolios as mandated by the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation in the European Union.”
The report is part of a larger project, also called “Sorting for Circularity Europe.” The additional Recyclers Database provides information on recycling companies, and the open-source Sorters handbook can help with further analysis.
“Sorting for Circularity Europe” has a second phase
The project is funded by the Laudes Foundation and supported by Adidas, Bestseller and Zalando, with Inditex and the H&M Group as external partners. In the second phase of the project, the focus will be on digital platforms “that match supply and demand by connecting sorters and recyclers through waste mapping and match-making capabilities.”
You can find the full report online.
