In the debate around second-hand clothing and the circular textile economy, many myths and half-truths persist. This article aims to separate fact from fiction — exploring what really happens with donated clothes, how much is recycled, the impact of overproduction, policy changes, and the global imbalances in the used-clothing market.

A recent LinkedIn post by the European Commission has triggered a lively discussion about how Europeans manage their old clothes, just days after the implementation of the revised EU Waste Framework Directive.