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Humana's sorting facility in Vilnius, Lithuania. Photo: Maja Nellström/IVL
Reuse of textiles is most important for the climate – wherever in the world it takes place
In a new study, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute has assessed the environmental, social and economic sustainability of different methods for handling textiles collected in Sweden. The study focused on reuse and recycling, both in and outside Europe, as well as incineration.
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Maja Nellström
Challenges related to the inadequate waste management of textiles exported to developing countries have raised the question of whether it is always more beneficial from a resource and environmental perspective to reuse textiles than to recycle or even incinerate them.
The new law on separate collection of textiles, which came into force on 1 January this year, has raised the issue of how to handle collected textiles sustainably
, says Maja Nellström, textile expert and project manager at IVL.
The study examined the environmental sustainability of reuse compared to recycling and incineration, both in Europe and beyond. It also analyzed the social and economic sustainability, focusing on textile reuse in Lithuania and Kenya.
The results clearly show that reuse has the lowest climate impact, whether it takes place in Europe or elsewhere.
This is because the greatest environmental impact arises during the actual manufacture of the clothes. The crucial factor is that the clothes have a longer life instead of new ones having to be produced
, says Maja Nellström.
Vital that the clothes are actually reused
A key factor is the proportion of exported textiles that cannot be reused and are therefore disposed of. If this proportion is high, the environmental benefits of reuse are reduced. It is also important how long the reused garments are used and that they replace newly produced garments. The more times they are used, the greater the environmental benefit.
In terms of recycling, the study shows that the main advantage compared to producing new textiles is lower water consumption, for example for cotton cultivation. On the other hand, the difference in climate impact is not very large compared to incinerating the textile with energy recovery in Europe.
Economic and social effects
Reusing clothes not only helps to reduce resource use and environmental impact, the study also identifies important economic and social effects of second-hand trade. For households on smaller budgets, it creates income opportunities and affordable clothing options.
In the report, the researchers point to the need for further studies on the waste management of textiles exported for reuse outside Europe, including a lack of data on management practices such as informal landfills for textiles exported to developing countries.
We must keep in mind that the challenges of inadequate waste management are not specific to second-hand garments. Newly produced clothes would probably have been handled in the same way when they are discarded
, says Maja Nellström.
Read more in the report: Sustainability assessment of textile reuse and recycling in and outside of Europe
External link, opens in new window.
For more information, contact:
Maja Nellström, maja.nellstrom@ivl.se, tel. +46 (0)10-788 66 88
The study was funded by SIVL (IVL's research foundation), Humana LT, Human Bridge, Björkåfrihet and Södra.