According to the UN Environment Program UNEP, on average, a garbage truck full of textiles is landfilled or burned every second [1].
Given the large amounts of water, chemicals, and energy used in producing these textiles, many people are starting to realise that our current approach to textile consumption could be more sustainable in the long term.
By viewing textile waste as a resource, we can reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and conserve resources by giving new life to materials that otherwise might be discarded. Additionally, using recycled or up-cycled textiles can reduce the need for virgin materials, thereby reducing the environmental impact of textile production.Textiles are a valuable resource that has long been overlooked, and it’s high time we start treating them as such!
IN EUROPE, WE ARE GENERALLY GOOD AT SORTING OUR WASTE. HOUSEHOLDS’ RECYCLED MATERIALS LIKE PAPER, CARDBOARD, AND PLASTIC ARE SORTABLE TO A RELATIVELY HIGH DEGREE, BUT WITH TEXTILES, WE HAVE TO DO MUCH MORE!
The average European generates around 16.9 kg of textile waste annually [2]. The amount of textile waste generated per person can vary widely across European countries, with some countries generating much more than others. We grind and prepare for recycling what’s not possible to reuse. In addition, textiles can be turned into rags and insulation instead of burned. Many other European countries.
Many other European countries, such as Germany and France, collect used textiles more successfully [3]. According to a Nordic Council of Ministers report, Sweden collects 22% of all textiles sold, while Denmark collects 46%, and Germany collects up to 75%.
One reason the industry does not collect more textiles for reuse and recycling could be a lack of large-scale textile collection and sorting systems. Today, charities are primarily responsible for collecting and sorting textile waste. Most of the time, these small-scale operations and organisations handling the textile sorting need help managing the volume of donations. Many places need more fully operational logistics to handle these large textile flows.
THE SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL INCLUDING NATIONAL GOALS TO INCREASE TEXTILE COLLECTIONS SIGNIFICANTLY AND TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TEXTILES IN RESIDUAL WASTE.
Many countries are currently working on an extensive scale in developing methods for increasing textile sorting and for more textiles to be reused and recycled. The goal is to have 90% of collected textile waste ready for reuse or recycling by 2025.
The government launched an investigation into textile producers’ responsibility at the end of last year. The main task of the inquiry is proposing a producer responsibility that ensures separate textile collection for reuse and recycling. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency also suggests municipalities must collect household textiles in separate sections.
Producer responsibility implies that the manufacturers of a product are responsible for ensuring the existence of a return collection system for collecting and disposing of end-of-life products. Other types of waste have much better routines, and some product groups, such as batteries, packaging, and medicines, have producer responsibility legislation. With the producer’s responsibility, manufacturers are encouraged to create products that are more resource-efficient, easier to recycle, and do not contain environmentally hazardous substances.
WE MUST CREATE A LARGER MARKET FOR USED TEXTILES TO INCREASE THE COLLECTING EFFORT OF USED TEXTILES.
We export the vast majority of textiles sent for recycling. According to a Nordic Council of Ministers report, exporting used textiles is more environmentally friendly than keeping them in Nordic countries. According to the report, if we kept the used textiles here, they would most likely be burned. Approximately 75,000 tonnes (!) of used textiles are sent abroad each year as a result of a lacking market for reused and recycled textiles in Nordic countries [4]. Therefore, collecting more textiles solves only a few problems. We also need to ensure that they are put to use, which means buying used rather than new, even in the Nordic countries.
WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?
- “Ask why before you buy” – only buy what you think you’ll use!
- Take good care of your clothing! If your clothes get damaged, and you don’t feel like repairing them, several services, such as a local seamster, will fix them.
- Do your clothes bore you? Try swapping with a friend that uses same size as you!
- Never throw textiles in the residual waste, even broken or soiled. You can sell or donate what is entirely and non-damaged to charities. In addition, at recycling centres, you can recycle other textile waste.
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