Sorting for sustainability: The process behind extracting value from discarded clothing

As the world navigates the dual challenges of waste management and environmental sustainability, the fashion industry stands at a critical crossroads. Innovative approaches to managing discarded textiles are not just optional; they are essential for the future of fashion. While many solutions are proposed, the effectiveness of some strategies becomes evident through their results.

Consider the comprehensive textile sorting processes that transform how the industry handles textile waste and discarded post-consumer textiles, such as the clothes we no longer want. These processes not only extend the life cycle of garments, but also significantly decrease the volume destined for landfills.

TEXTILE house: For 20 years, advancing sustainability in the fashion industry & beyond

At TEXTILE house, the sorting process involves purchasing used or discarded textiles from various sources and meticulously categorizing them. The sorting process evaluates textiles based on many criteria—such as fabric type, condition, and reuse potential. This crucial step determines the subsequent pathway for each item: whether it is suitable for resale as secondhand clothing, can be repurposed into other products, or should be recycled.

For more than two decades, TEXTILE house has been purchasing and sorting discarded textiles, including used clothing and household items, with the goal of extracting maximum reuse value and reintroducing them into the economy with minimal waste. The journey of the discarded textiles purchased by TEXTILE house is meticulous and thoughtful. In 2024, the goal is to process 30,000 tons of textiles in the 19,000-square-metre sorting and recycling centre in Slovakia, from which an estimated 24,000 tons will be repurposed for reuse—of this, 30 to 40 percent will be sold through their own network of 170 secondhand and vintage shops across eleven countries in Europe.

The sorted textile that cannot be used—around 20 percent of the total production—will be repurposed for recycling through partners. For example, broken sweaters can be used to make cover mats, and the feathers from non-reusable blankets can be repurposed as pillow filling. The less than 3 percent of the non-reusable and non-recyclable textile is used as an energy resource, such as solid recovered fuel.

TEXTILE house's environmental impact

By aligning with the EU’s waste hierarchy, TEXTILE house focuses on maximising reuse; currently, 77 percent of its processed materials find new life, mostly through its network of 170 secondhand and vintage shops spread across eleven European countries. The remaining 20 percent is sorted for recycling, contributing to a minimal waste footprint of less than three percent, which is utilised as solid recovered fuel.

Mountains of Material: TEXTILE house expects to sort 30,000 tons of textiles this year. Imagine filling about 30 Eiffel Towers with clothes!

Massive Reuse Impact: With 77 percent of these textiles being reused, that’s about 24,000 tons a year diverted from landfills. Imagine filling the Empire State Building multiple times with clothes instead of discarding them!

Textile Trek: The textiles that TEXTILE house repurposes for reuse could, if laid end to end, likely wrap around the circumference of the Earth multiple times. That’s a fashion trip around the globe!

Switching Off Emissions: Considering the expected 30,000 tons of textiles to be sorted in 2024, by reusing 77 percent, recycling 20 percent and converting the less than three percent of non-reusable & non-recyclable post-consumer textiles it purchases into solid recovered fuel, TEXTILE House drastically cuts carbon emissions. Based on general industry data and estimates, including findings from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and similar environmental impact studies, this impact is equivalent to turning off the lights in every home in a city the size of Amsterdam for a year.

Water Wonder: If we assume conservatively that recycling or reusing a kilogram of textiles saves at least 200 litres of water—a common estimate—then processing 30,000 tons potentially saves up to six billion litres of water. That's enough to fill about 2,400 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or equivalent to the annual water usage of about 50,000 European households!

Industry leadership: Presence at Circular Textile Days

TEXTILE house's participation in the Circular Textile Days highlights their industry leadership and commitment to expanding sustainable practices. This platform will allow them to showcase their practices and strategies, and collaborate with other leaders, driving the fashion industry towards a more sustainable future.

The road ahead for TEXTILE house

As TEXTILE house continues to innovate business practices, lead in the textile sorting industry, and expand its sorting capacity—currently expanding to 100,000 tons per year—its role becomes increasingly vital. As the sole recovery operator for Refashion—the French Producer Responsibility Organization for textile Extended Producer Responsibility—in Central and Eastern Europe, TEXTILE house sets a benchmark in sustainability. The operations not only demonstrate leadership and commitment to sustainability across Europe but also highlight the importance of cross-border partnerships in addressing global challenges like textile waste.

For those in the industry and consumers alike, engaging with TEXTILE house’s sustainable practices is not just beneficial but necessary for a sustainable future.

By integrating environmental considerations into its business model, TEXTILE house showcases substantial ecological and economic benefits, advocating for the broader adoption of sustainable practices in the fashion industry. With an approach that transcends the management of discarded textiles, it helps to redefine the lifecycle of fashion and set a precedent for responsible business practices.