Long live textiles: how to reuse and recycle textiles in Catalonia
Extending the life of clothing, reusing it properly, and managing waste well when it can no longer be used are key steps to reducing the environmental impact of the sector.
The fashion industry is one of the sectors with the greatest environmental and climate impact globally. Nearly 100 billion garments are sold worldwide each year, and textile consumption is one of the most intensive in its use of raw materials, water, and greenhouse gas emissions.
In the last two decades, clothing has become an ultra-fast consumer product. Generally speaking, it is bought impulsively, rarely used, and often discarded practically new, without regard for the environmental, social, and economic consequences. In Catalonia, each person buys an average of 25 kilos of clothing per year, but only 13% of textiles are collected separately.
The problem is that clothes don't disappear. Most discarded items end up in landfills or are incinerated. A graphic image sums up the situation: every second, a truckload of clothing is burned or buried somewhere in the world.
Extending the life of clothing, reusing it properly, and managing waste effectively when it is no longer usable are key steps in reducing the sector's environmental impact. Therefore, the Catalan Waste Agency aims to provide clear, practical, and organized information so that citizens know what to do with their unwanted clothing and what resources are available to them, with one key message: clothing is not just any waste, but a valuable resource that can be given a second life.
Specific and useful resources on textile reuse and recycling
When a garment is no longer used, how it's managed makes all the difference. In Catalonia, there are several textile collection and processing systems that allow for the reuse or recycling of garments, but for the system to work correctly, it's crucial to know where to take the clothes and in what condition.
Where to take clothes we no longer use
In Catalonia there are different channels to properly manage clothes that we no longer use:
- Specific containers for used clothing (usually orange), intended for the selective collection of textiles.
- Municipal recycling centers, both fixed and mobile, are especially suitable for very worn clothes or household textiles.
- Reuse circuits, such as second-hand stores with collection service, social projects or specific campaigns and actions in the municipalities (door to door).
What do we mean by textile waste?
Textile waste is considered to be:
- Clothing: men's, women's and children's clothing, underwear, uniforms or workwear.
- Household linens: towels, sheets, curtains, rags and other non-bulky textiles.
- Footwear: always paired and securely tied with laces or ribbon.
- Accessories: bags, belts, caps, gloves, among others.
These pieces may be broken, worn, missing buttons, and have holes.
Under what conditions should the clothes be deposited?
To facilitate reuse or recycling, it is important that the clothing is deposited:
- Clean and dry, and free of paint, grease or chemical residue.
- Inside a tightly closed bag, with a maximum capacity of 30 liters.
- Inside the container: bags should never be left on the floor.
What about bulky textiles?
Bulky items, such as rugs, duvets, or other large textiles, should not be placed in clothing bins. In these cases, they must be taken to a recycling center or the municipal collection service must be contacted.
Clothing deposited in recycling bins is not wasted: it has different destinations depending on its condition. Reuse is the system's primary approach. In fact, 4 out of every 10 garments collected (42%) are reused through international networks, which extend their lifespan.
Furthermore, approximately 19% of the collected textiles are sold through second-hand shops in Catalonia, contributing to the promotion of more responsible and local consumption. Another significant portion, around 32%, is sold without prior sorting, an area where efforts are underway to improve traceability and textile management.
Textile recycling, although still a small part of the total, is growing steadily and allows for the transformation of clothing that cannot be reused into new materials. Only a small portion of the collected textiles is unusable and must be managed as final waste.
Circular economy initiatives and projects in Catalonia
The circular economy applied to textiles aims to extend the life of clothing and make better use of resources, beyond final recycling. In Catalonia, this approach is already being implemented through initiatives that work to reduce textile waste and give new life to discarded garments.
A significant portion of these projects are driven by social organizations, which combine clothing collection and reuse with job placement programs. Through the sorting and sale of secondhand items, they contribute to reducing waste and generate a positive social impact in the local area.
In recent years, other circular economy models have also emerged, such as repair shops, creative reuse initiatives, secondhand stores, local exchange markets, and digital platforms that facilitate reuse among individuals. This diversity of proposals demonstrates that textile circularity is already part of many people's daily lives, from the community level to the digital realm.
Taken together, these initiatives demonstrate that textile waste management depends not only on recycling, but on a broad ecosystem of projects that strengthen the local economy and promote more responsible consumption.
Good consumption practices to reduce textile waste
The best way to reduce the environmental impact of the textile sector is to prevent waste from being generated in the first place. Therefore, the decisions made before, during, and after clothing use play a key role in textile waste management.
- More conscious consumption. Before buying, it's important to question whether you truly need the garment and prioritize criteria such as quality, design, durability, and versatility. Choosing clothes that can last a long time and be used multiple times helps reduce the amount of clothing that gets thrown away after a short period.
- Take care of them, maintain them, and repair them. During use, small everyday actions can significantly extend the life of your clothes. Washing only when necessary, using low temperatures, avoiding excessive dryer use, and repairing items before replacing them are practices that reduce environmental impact and resource consumption.
- New opportunities. When an item is no longer needed, reuse should always be the first option. Giving it away, swapping it with family and friends, or selling clothes in good condition on online marketplaces allows you to extend its lifespan. Only when reuse is no longer possible should it be properly disposed of in designated recycling collection systems.
These good practices contribute not only to reducing textile waste, but also to promoting more conscious and responsible consumption aligned with the principles of the circular economy.