close
close

More and more startups are offering clothing take-back services to brands — but few of them are recycling textiles

Posted on by darion

Brands are increasingly trying to address fashion’s massive waste problem with in-store recycling initiatives. In 2013, H&M launched one of the first brand-backed clothing collection programs, encouraging shoppers to drop off old clothes at H&M stores around the world. Since then, recycling boxes have become ubiquitous at some of the world’s largest retailers, including fast-fashion giants like Zara and Mango. Target announced its first nationwide denim takeback program, which will recycle old jeans, according to a press release. When asked for comment on how the items will be recycled, a Target spokesperson said the items “will be recycled by trusted Target partners to create new products, such as insulation for homes, packaging and appliances.”

In other words, old jeans won’t be turned into new jeans. Here’s the rub: Recycling old textiles into new clothes doesn’t yet exist on a large scale. And the reality of what happens to old clothes once they’re collected is often much messier than advertised. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 84% of clothes end up in landfills or incinerators. For example, an investigation by environmental campaign group Changing Markets Foundation found that clothes that went into H&M’s take-back program were often destroyed or thrown away, according to The Business of Fashion.

Enter the takeback service. The past few years have seen a surge in tech-focused startups that help brands navigate the logistical mess of unwanted clothing. The methodology varies by company, but they generally collect unwanted textiles—often surplus, damaged, and returned goods—from individual consumers and retailers. Suppliers then sort, categorize, and assess the quality of the materials to determine whether the garments’ lifespan can be extended, typically through reuse, resale, or, in rarer cases, textile recycling.

To read the full story, visit https://www.modernretail.co/operations/more-startups-are-offering-garment-take-back-services-for-brands-but-few-are-actually-recycling-the-textiles/.
Author: Allison Smith, ModernRetail
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/men-s-assorted-dress-shirts-264726/