WRAP, the UK environmental action group, has officially launched its Textiles Collections Transition Programme, bringing together retailers, brands, local authorities, charities, collectors, sorters, recyclers, and waste management companies to develop textile collection, reuse, and recycling solutions. The first phase of the programme is funded by Primark, Next, and Tesco, and has produced the report Transformative Practices in Textile Collection, which reviews existing collection methods and proposes directions for improvement.

Key points

  • WRAP data shows that the UK generates about 1.45 million tonnes of post-consumer textiles each year (21 kg per person), of which 49%, or about 546,000 tonnes, is thrown into household residual waste.
  • The price of post-consumer textiles sold through charity shops fell from £375 per tonne in January 2024 to £70 per tonne in January 2026; the cost of collecting and sorting used textiles is estimated at £88 million per year.
  • The first-phase report has been published, and WRAP will work with stakeholders through workshops to develop an "Impact Co-Design Blueprint", expected to be announced in spring 2027.

About 750,000 tonnes of textiles enter household residual waste in the UK each year. WRAP estimates that 84% of discarded clothing is incinerated and 11% goes to landfill. The organisation's annual report also shows that UK textile consumption has grown by 21%, further heightening concerns about future waste volumes.

Meanwhile, the economics of collecting and sorting used textiles continue to deteriorate. Data cited by WRAP shows that the unit price of post-consumer textiles sold through charity shops fell from £375 per tonne in January 2024 to £70 per tonne in January 2026. The cost of collecting and sorting damaged textiles is estimated at up to £88 million per year, and revenue from resaleable clothing is no longer enough to cover the cost of handling textiles that cannot be resold or reused. WRAP warns that these pressures are threatening the viability of existing collection and sorting infrastructure.

Maintaining this infrastructure is essential to ensuring that reusable textiles continue to circulate and that materials unsuitable for reuse are directed to recycling wherever possible. WRAP says investment in sorting technology and fibre-to-fibre recycling needs to be matched by an effective collection system to divert waste textiles from household waste.

The programme has three core objectives: increasing public participation in textile collection, building a financially sustainable system, and improving the quality of material available for fibre-to-fibre recycling. The programme will also examine how to make textile collection more convenient and how to improve coordination across the supply chain.

After the first phase, the programme will move into an implementation and scaling phase to test solutions aimed at improving textile collection. WRAP is currently seeking evidence from across the industry and inviting relevant organisations to participate.

Source: WRAP launches UK textile collection and recycling programme · Originally published 2026-10-12