The old clothing collection organization G.V.U. in Gänserndorf District, Lower Austria, was honored at the 40th anniversary celebration of HUMANA Österreich because the district achieved the largest increase in old textile collection from 2024 to 2025, reaching 13.3%.

Key Points

  • G.V.U. Bezirk Gänserndorf was recognized by HUMANA Österreich for a 13.3% increase in old clothing collection from 2024 to 2025.
  • HUMANA Österreich currently operates about 2,600 collection bins in 491 municipalities across Austria and collected more than 9 million kilograms of old clothing in 2025.
  • Data from the Austrian Environment Agency show that 67.3% of donated textiles are directly reused, while another 23% are recycled; over the past three years, net proceeds of more than 2 million euros have been invested in development projects in the Global South.

At the celebration, HUMANA Österreich reviewed its 40-year development: from an initial idea to today's network of about 2,600 old clothing collection bins covering 491 municipalities across Austria, with more than 9 million kilograms of old clothing collected in all of 2025. The organization emphasized that the collection network depends on cooperation from municipalities and waste management associations, all of which are indispensable. Henning Mörch, a member of the HUMANA Österreich board, said that each collection bin represents a commitment to donors and beneficiaries, and fulfilling that commitment is impossible without cooperation from all parties.

According to data from the Austrian Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), 67.3% of donated textiles are directly reused, while another 23% enter the recycling process, meaning that clothing placed in collection bins does not become waste. The related net proceeds are used for development projects in the Global South, and more than 2 million euros have been invested in development cooperation over the past three years. At the celebration, Moses Chibwana, country director of the development organization DAPP Malawi, sent greetings and demonstrated the concrete impact of Austrian clothing donations.

In September 2025, HUMANA Österreich received the VSE label (Verified Social Enterprise) from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy and aws. Elisabeth Zehetner, Austrian State Secretary for Energy, Startups and Tourism, noted that the label highlights companies operating with clear social and ecological goals, and that companies like HUMANA make the label more convincing.

At the industry level, textile recycling is continuing to gain momentum: since January 2025, separate collection of old textiles has been mandatory throughout the EU. HUMANA Österreich was founded in 1986 and, in addition to textile collection, also operates second-hand shops; it received the aforementioned VSE label in September 2025. This 40th anniversary celebration is not only a review of its collection work but also points toward the goal of keeping textiles in the circular system for longer.

Source: Altkleider sammeln: Gänserndorfer tun Gutes – jetzt mit offizieller Auszeichnung · Originally published on 2026-10-13