Waste

Uganda is the fifth largest importer of second-hand clothing in Africa, and the Owino Market in capital Kampala is key to the trade in the country. A recent report looked at Owino and its impact on business and livelihoods. Study author Jennifer Wang talks about the fine print in the report.

The five-point ‘EU Recyclers’ Manifesto: Increasing textiles circularity by 2030: Threading up circularity’ by EuRIC’s Textiles Branch, highlights the unprecedented crisis facing the region’s textile collection and recycling sector, worsened by rising costs, low demand, and the impact of ultra-fast fashion.

Amidst ongoing fears that the European Union could severely curb or ban SHC exports, a report from Mozambique warns that if this ecosystem is jeopardised, the repercussions on the millions already living in poverty will be quite damaging.

FEAD and EuRIC have come up with a set of recommendations to address the crises facing the post-consumer textile collection, sorting and recycling industries following the introduction of the EU-wide mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for textiles.

The T-REX (Textile Recycling Excellence) project, a consortium of 13 industry leaders, committed to developing a blueprint for a harmonised EU framework for textile-to-textile recycling, has emphasised the need for standardised definitions of recyclability, scalable recycling technologies, and policy measures that align with industry realities.

The European Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement on new measures to prevent and reduce waste from textiles across the EU. This provisional agreement will now have to be endorsed before undergoing legal linguistic revision and once formally adopted, member states will have up to 20 months to update their national laws to follow the new rules.

To make the next textile revolution happen, we need a major shift of mindset – to value a product, appreciate the stages and participants it has taken to manufacture each item, and going back to having less but of better long-lasting quality. While quality is hard to quantify, we can measure and test durability and many other aspects of textiles to ensure they last longer.

To unlock the potential of recycled textiles and second-hand clothing, a new research proposes practical reforms to modernise outdated customs codes, introducing new codes, and create clear standards, and trader incentives that will enhance trust, trade efficiency, and transparency to better support the expanding textile circular economy.

The RegioGreenTex initiative has published a paper outlining the development of a framework for classifying textiles for recycling, which is central to establishing efficient and regionally adaptable waste channelling models.

Reppatch is a dynamic community of over 50 brands and artists worldwide, dedicated to transforming waste into unique, high-quality products. With a focus on upcycling and slow production, Reppatch collaborates with corporate partners to creatively repurpose their waste, turning environmental challenges into innovative opportunities. Passionate entrepreneur and Founder Nil Karul shares how she combines her professional expertise with her lifelong interest in upcycling and creative reuse.