TRA reveals slump in used textiles donations

United Kingdom – According to the UK Textile Recycling Association (TRA), charity shops are experiencing a severe drop in donations now more people are selling off their garments at cash-for-clothing stores.

‘You would think that rising value would be good for both charities and the established businesses, but because used clothing is now worth more, the competition to collect this valuable commodity has increased and everyone is currently getting a smaller slice of the cake,’ says Alan Wheeler, the TRA’s National Liaison Manager.

To tackle the problem, the TRA is collaborating with the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on the Sustainable Clothing Roadmap. Together, they plan to make recommendations on how to maximise clothing collection rates, hoping they can persuade the public to donate the annual estimate of 1 million tonnes worth of used textiles to local charities rather than dumping it in waste bins.

If these efforts are successful, it is said that around 60% of the incoming material could be re-used or recycled, which might ease the tension in the market brought about by increased competition.