In Europe, 58% of textiles, household cloths and shoes collected for recycling are reused, according to the results of a study conducted by the design office Terra which has been published in a report by the French eco-organisation Refashion.
Of all the textiles collected in Europe, 32% are recycled rather than reused. "A majority (of that 32%) is exported and processed in Asia and Europe," Refashion said in its report.
The study, carried out from June to December 2022, stated that the recycling of textiles "is still limited" in Europe while the quantity collected increases and "the reusable share decreases at the same time." Refashion claims that 96% of the textiles collected in Europe end up being sent abroad, RTBF reports.
Credit: Belga / Eric Lalmand
Refashion notes that "Africa is the first recipient" of exports of reusable textiles and shoes, which are sold in particular on second-hand markets. The design office Terra recommends in its summary that "the export of part of textiles for recycling and reuse should be more restricted in the future".
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Terra also notes that the reusable share of clothing collected at European level has been decreasing for several years.
According to the design office, this situation is due, among other things, to "the decline in the quality of clothing" placed on the market and the "development of resale between individuals upstream, which increases the level of wear of the collected parts".
