Post-Consumer Textiles (PCT) Collections and Logistics
- PCT Collection Trials
- Industry Roundtables
- Knowledge Database
PCT Collection Trials
Every year, the UK generates over 1 million tonnes of post-consumer textiles (PCT). About a third of these are non-wearables textiles that ends up in landfills or incineration. To give these textiles a second chance and bring them into the loop again, the project has set up collection trials to empower consumers to pre-sort and donate non-rewearable textiles through on-site locations and different postal methods.
The objective is to encourage individuals to separate non-rewearable (NRT) and rewearable textiles (RT). The sorted non-rewearable textiles, in the future, could be directed to an ATSP for further recycling into new textiles and garments.
- Tesco and Salvation Army Trading Company Limited (SATCOL) are placing separate banks at selected Tesco carpark and household waste recycling centres in the East of England, to allow consumers to donate RTs and NRTs separately. The trial begins in March 2024.
- In partnership with Oxfam, M&S is giving its customers opportunity to donate preloved clothing via post for the first time. Customers can request an Oxfam postal donation bag through a link on the M&S website. After sorting rewearable and non-rewearable textiles into separate bags, customers can send them back via a prepaid courier service. The reusable items will be sold to support Oxfam’s charity work, and the non-rewearables will be responsibly recycled and, in the future, could provide feedstock for the ATSP.
Join M&S and Oxfam’s innovative collaboration that offers M&S customers the convenience to donate their preloved clothing by post. Request your Oxfam postal donation bag through the M&S website!
Find out more about these trials and how you can actively participate here.
Industry Roundtable
WORK WITH US
A call out to retailers, textile sorters, collectors, waste management organisations and council members to brainstorm ideas and discuss initiatives to improve the current textiles collection system. If your organisation would like to participate, please email hannah.carter@reskinned.clothing
PCT Knowledge Database
WORK WITH US
Through ACT UK, we’re looking to gain insight into innovations, in the form of, new methods, technologies, trials and case studies on PCT collections, logistics and separating out non-rewearable textiles from rewearable textiles (by citizens or sorting facility methods), in the UK and globally. If you know of any examples, or if your organisation has taken part in any activities that fit the description above, kindly send a brief overview to textiles2030@wrap.org.uk with ACT UK as the subject line. The information you provide will be added into a knowledge database and used in the development of potential trials as part of the project and to inform further work.