How is the textiles sector combating their waste?

How is the textiles sector combating their waste?

By Reconomy

When you think of landfills, you probably think of big piles of trash, from worn out fridges to multiple garbage bags. You may not have considered the soft fabrics and discarded jeans from our fast-fashion obsession — but the reality is that much of our wardrobe is destined for the landfill.

In the UK, over 300,000 tonnes of clothing hits the landfill every year. And for items that don’t end up on the landfill? Recently, Burberry caused an outcry online after revealing they burned their excess stock, having burnt more than $50 million worth of clothes, perfumes, and accessories in 2017. 

Our wasteful consumption of fast-moving fashion is crippling the planet. Wrap revealed in their study of the textiles industry that, between 2012 and 2016, the carbon footprint from clothing in the UK has increased from 24 million tonnes to 26.2 million tonnes of CO2

With so many clothes headings to the landfill, and with the nature of the fashion industry moving at such a rapid pace, what can be done to both tackle the impact on the environment and keep the industry ticking over? We’ve asked Reconomy, who offer skip hire and expertise in the waste management sector that can help reduce business costs and improve sustainability, to look into the waste solutions for textiles. 

Food for Fabrics


Circular Systems, a clean-tech new materials company, also has a technology in place to use existing scraps of textiles and discarded clothing and recycling them into new fibres. This means the company addresses both the environmental impact at the beginning of a textile cycle, with its creation, and at the end of its life, avoiding the landfill. 

Coffee Clothing

In a similar vein, Bio Based World News revealed a new clothing process in the form of fabric made from coffee grounds. Singtex is the name of the company responsible for changing how we look at what our clothes could be made from. Like Circular Systems, they are looking to tackle two issues head-on, but converting a backlog of waste from one sector (again, the food industry) and turning it into a useable item in another sector (the textiles industry). 

Love Your Clothes 





·      Unwanted clothes — for clothes that don’t fit, that you’ve grown out of, or no longer need, sometimes upcycling isn’t an option. But that doesn’t mean you get to fling them away. Dispose of your clothes responsibly, with a range of different ways to sell, swap, or donate. 

Exchange programmes


For example, Target and I:Collect ran a two-week campaign which allowed customers to receive a 20% discount on jeans if they brought in an old denim item. The denim was divided into two piles to be either reused or recycled. 

In the UK, clothing retailer H&M offers a recycling service too. With the promise to accept any brand in any condition, H&M notes that it was the first brand to do a full-scale clothing recycling program in-store. Customers can bring down their old, unwanted clothes in exchange for a H&M voucher. The service is also offered in their concept stores, at Monki and & Other Stories. 


The world is in dire need of a waste solution when it comes to clothing. The fashion industry moves so quickly, and it’s leaving a trail of quickly-discarded clothing in its wake. Businesses need to ensure they have a responsible waste management system in place, such as those provided by Reconomy, to ensure less waste hits the landfill. 

For more information about combating waste, reach out to Reconomy here for advice.


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