Data from the China Association of Resource Comprehensive Utilization shows that approximately 26 million tons of old clothes are thrown into trash bins in China each year, with a recycling and reuse rate of less than 1%. After traditional donation channels have shrunk, old clothing recycling has gradually split into two paths: export for resale and regeneration processing.

Key points:

  • In 2020, China's second-hand clothing export value reached US$350 million, with over 60% shipped to Africa
  • MIT data shows that recycling 1 kilogram of waste textiles can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.17 kilograms
  • Most online recycling platforms require a single recycling weight of 3 to 5 kilograms or more

Old clothes traveling across the ocean

After collection, old clothes first enter sorting factories, where they are graded by condition, style, and material. Those in relatively new condition are compressed, packaged, and shipped to Africa. United Nations trade statistics show that in 2018, global imports of second-hand clothing totaled US$4.1 billion, with Africa accounting for US$1.3 billion. China's export volume has risen rapidly since 2009, and by 2020 the export value had reached US$350 million, ranking fourth globally, with more than 60% of the destination being Africa. In local markets, consumers can buy a piece of Chinese second-hand clothing for just a few yuan, and second-hand vendors thereby earn considerable profits—industry insiders reveal that although export volume accounts for only 20% to 30% of total recycling, profits account for about 70% of the entire chain.

Where recycled materials go

Old clothes that are in poor condition and cannot be exported or donated take another path: they are shredded and processed into recycled materials. Pure cotton and pure wool fabrics are opened, decolorized, and re-spun into mops and packaging cloth; blended fabrics can be made into automotive sound insulation cotton and agricultural greenhouse insulation quilts; polyester old clothes are processed into filling fibers for home products. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's "Environmental Benefit Assessment Report on Old Clothing Recycling and Resource Utilization," every 1 kilogram of waste textiles recycled can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.17 kilograms; if the comprehensive utilization rate is raised to 60%, it can save 18.8 million tons of crude oil and 16.34 million mu of land.

Current status and limitations of recycling channels

At present, old clothing recycling channels include community recycling bins and online appointment platforms. Most platforms support free door-to-door pickup in more than 300 cities nationwide, with a threshold of 3 to 5 kilograms, and recycling incentives range from energy rewards to cash by weight. It should be noted that the two situations criticized in daily life are concentrated in the recycling bin segment: recycling bins are basically unseen in rural areas, and their layout within first-tier cities is also relatively concentrated; some commercial companies are only willing to place recycling bins in high-end communities, while some bins under municipal facilities gradually become ordinary trash bins due to lack of management and maintenance, and some charity slogans are actually linked to resale, weakening public trust.

The gap with the European model

Research by the China Circular Economy Association points out that the main destination of waste textiles in Europe is second-hand clothing sales, with a proportion exceeding 50%. Local second-hand clothing stores obtain licenses in accordance with the law, and clothes must be strictly inspected and disinfected before being put on shelves. In contrast, China still has no dedicated domestic market for second-hand clothing, and paid private recycling and public resale are both prohibited. As a major textile country, China's waste textile recycling system is still at an early stage, and policy conditions and legal safeguards are not yet complete. For old clothing circulation to go further, the key still depends on whether the recycling system can continue to be refined and move onto a standardized track.

Source: Where do all those old clothes you throw away end up? · Originally published on 2022-05-28