#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-12-22

Renewcell signs deals with European sorters to recycle thousands of tonnes of textiles annually

Bale of textile waste – photo Alexander Donka

During December, Renewcell has signed multi-year purchasing agreements with three different European textile sorters — SOEX in Germany, Texaid in Switzerland and Sysav in Sweden. These companies will supply thousands of tonnes of textile waste each year for recycling at Renewcell's new facility in Sundsvall. The deliveries to Renewcell will consist of clothing and other textiles collected from consumers that are not possible to sell second-hand.

We continue to build a strong regional supplier network for textile waste fractions that are suitable for recycling with us. We’re delighted to be able to offer our partners a profitable and circular alternative to downcycling, incineration or landfill of textile products that can not be sold second hand, says Martin Stenfors, COO at Renewcell.

Renewcell’s new textile recycling plant in Sundsvall, Sweden – photo Alexander Donka

According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), more than five million tonnes of textile waste are generated in Europe each year. About one-fifth of this amount is collected for some form of re-use, recycling for upholstery, insulation or rags or for export to other countries. The rest is lost in ordinary household waste and ends up either in landfill or incinerated. The issue of textile waste management is a priority within the EU, and from 2025 onwards, new mandatory requirements for separate collection and preparation for textile waste recycling will apply to all Member States.

With our patented recycling process, we make it possible to create new high-quality textile raw material made entirely from recycled textile waste for the very first time. We are proud to contribute to creating a circular economy for textiles within Europe together with SOEX, Texaid and Sysav. Our joint effort scale up textile recycling is crucial for the EU to achieve the goals set for 2025, Martin Stenfors adds.

Martin Stenfors, COO Renewcell – photo Alexander Donka

Happy Holidays!

Dear reader, the year 2025 is drawing to a close. We are entering what we hope will be a peaceful holiday season, spending time with our families and taking a moment to pause and reflect. We hope we have been able to support you once again this year with relevant news and articles, and we look forward to surprising you with many innovations in the coming year. Enjoy the festive season, stay healthy, and we wish you a happy and joyful holiday season.

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