Business waste group urges textile recycling action, says current system is under strain

With over half of all UK clothing still ending up in landfill – 53 tonnes of textile waste taking up 5% of all landfill space — fashion retailers are being urged to more pro-actively adopt take-back schemes.

The fashion industry is also responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability specialist BritishWaste.co.uk has issued the call amid growing concerns about the sustainability of current practices in the textile recycling industry, as highlighted by the Textile Recycling Association (TRA).

The textile recycling sector is facing what the TRA describes as a ‘perfect storm’. Economic crises, global market challenges, and the huge influx of fast fashion that’s flooded the market with low-quality, hard-to-recycle clothing are causing big problems with textile waste, we’re told.

Mark Hall, co-founder of BritishWaste suggests that retailers taking responsibility for the lifecycle of their products will alleviate pressure on the recycling sector.

“By accepting returns of unwanted garments, retailers can ensure that clothing is properly sorted, recycled, recovered, or repurposed. This will avoid high volumes of textiles ending up in landfills and would be a big support in the shift towards a circular economy.”

He noted there are lots of financial strain on waste collectors that are currently collecting textiles that they then must pay to dispose of, if they’re not processed properly.

“The situation is dire, with textile sorters across the UK and Europe reporting full warehouses and halted collections, as they struggle to find suitable end markets for the vast volumes of low-quality materials.”

Alison Carey from Chris Carey’s Collections also noted that the current model of textile recycling “is no longer viable, with an increase in volumes of non-reusable material coming at a high cost for collectors and sorters”. She also called for urgent reform to support this essential global industry.
BusinessWaste suggests that retailer-led take-back programmes might serve as a solution to alleviate the industry crisis and as a step towards more sustainable consumer habits saying that “these could encourage consumers to think more critically about the lifecycle of their clothing and reduce the environmental impact associated with textile waste”.

It suggests the take-back schemes can also be part of larger corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies that enhance the company’s impact on local communities. For example, retailers can partner with local charities to donate refurbished clothing, supporting local needs and improving the quality of life for community members.

This helps those in need and strengthens the community’s perception of the retailer as a valuable and caring partner. It would also bring the brand name a lot of positive publicity that can improve the brand’s perceived image and reputation to the wider public.

Hall added: “Currently, the textile recycling industry is facing a period of unprecedented turmoil, and we wouldn’t demand for such support if it wasn’t absolutely needed. The retailers are the most responsible party in the fashion waste problem, so why not call for their help? As it stands, current textile recycling practices will not be sustainable long-term.”