Scaling up fabric recycling from collection to reuse
The Circular Textile Series takes a closer look at the full chain needed to make textile recycling work at scale from the moment fabric is discarded to when it’s turned into new fabric again. For any recycling system to succeed on a large scale, every link in the chain must function smoothly. If even one part fails whether it’s collection, sorting, or processing the whole effort falls short.
Right now, the biggest bottleneck is textile collection. It’s the first step, and it’s far from scalable.
Fixing the First Step: Making Collection Work
Textile recycling depends heavily on effective sorting. Without it, the economics of the entire system fall apart. The current collection approach led mostly by charities is struggling:
- High pressure to collect more textiles due to environmental goals
- Rising costs tied to sorting and identifying reusable items
- Revenue loss as better-quality donations are now sold through resale platforms, bypassing traditional donation routes
In the UK, collecting and sorting worn-out textiles now costs about £88 million per year. Meanwhile, charities are left handling mostly low-value clothing and can’t cover their costs. Some in Germany have already stopped textile collection, and the same pattern is starting to appear in the UK.
People are willing to recycle their clothes. But the system is broken and hard for individuals to navigate.
A Simpler System That Puts People First
A simplified, two-stream model could make textile collection both cheaper and easier to manage. This model divides items into:
- Curbside Collection for Recycling (around 90%)
Most clothing would be collected through local curbside services. This bulk method could bring costs down, with prices for unsorted textiles as low as £90 per tonne—sometimes even less when markets are struggling. - Donations for Reuse (around 10%)
People would still be encouraged to donate clean, usable clothes—but with better guidance to ensure only reusable items are sent this way.
How to Make It Work: Educating the Public
Getting the public to self-sort textiles by reuse potential is not just possible, it’s already being tested. Between 2023 and 2025, the UK trialed Advanced Textile Sorting and Preprocessing (ATSP) systems. Results show that when properly guided, households can do a good job separating clothes for reuse from those meant for recycling.
Clear communication and consistent public education are key. Think of it like separating food and packaging waste simple systems, once understood, become routine.
What We Gain From This Approach
If applied effectively, this two-stream system can deliver real, measurable benefits:
- Lower sorting costs, reducing the overall financial strain on the recycling system
- More predictable, stable feedstock supply, which supports scaling up fabric-to-fabric recycling
- Higher participation rates, as people understand how and where to send their clothes
- Less pressure on charities, letting them focus on what they do best selling usable garments
Making textile recycling work at scale depends on fixing the front end collection and sorting. The two-stream approach is practical, based on real-world trials, and backed by market data. It reduces costs, simplifies the process, and invites people to play a clear role in making recycling work. With the right structure, fabric-to-fabric recycling can move from pilot projects to a working system across the UK and beyond.
