Chaos hits textile collection systems as second‑hand industry struggles
- Thomas Lundkvist
- Jul 20
- 2 min read
Newly enforced EU laws requiring mandatory separate collection of textile waste have triggered a system‑wide breakdown across Europe—most starkly demonstrated in Sweden—causing major disruptions to the second‑hand clothing ecosystem.
Sweden, one of the first EU countries to adopt the January 1, 2025 deadline, has seen recycling centers reach breaking point. Municipal facilities reported a 60% surge in textile volumes in early 2025, with collection centers “completely overwhelmed” by the influx. Sweden's environment ministry announced new rules permitting exceptionally worn, stained, or tattered textiles to be discarded with regular waste beginning October 1, as systems buckle under pressure.
Humana Sweden, handling over 1,300 collection points, has already shuttered nearly half—600 sites closed—due to unmanageable intake and costs.
Reuse att risk
Experts warn that mixing low‑value, non‑reusable fabrics with higher quality donations is undermining existing reuse value chains. A joint study by IVL and Humana Lt reveals that poorly sorted collections harm transnational reuse systems that formerly shipped high‑quality garments from Sweden to second‑hand markets in Kenya and beyond. Reuse‑ready garments are being contaminated by unsellable waste, severely reducing their market value.
Before the law change, Humana Lt sorted roughly 76% for reuse, but the emerging chaos is blurring lines between reusable and recycling‑bound textiles.
A Broader EU Breakdown
Although EU directives mandate all member states to implement separate textile collection by 2025 and progressive extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes covering costs of sorting and recycling, infrastructure remains inadequate across the continent.
Local governments and civil society groups are lagging on compensation. Without EPR systems in full operation, the economic burden has fallen hard on municipal waste systems and charitable collectors, who face mounting costs with little support.
For organizations like Artikel2, Myrorna, and Human Bridge, the new law has converted thousands of collection sites into net liabilities—handling more garbage than reusable donations. Some are actively scaling back services or pulling out of municipal contracts altogether.
Consequences for the Second‑Hand Industry
The unfolding chaos presents a direct threat to the second‑hand clothing sector:
Diminished quality of donations, reducing resale potential.
Higher sorting costs, limiting profitability.
Reputational risk, as donations end up landfilled or incinerated contrary to donor intent.
Reduced global reuse streams, as export quality drops and clean supply to markets like Kenya wanes.
Europe’s fashion industry is particularly vulnerable to fast fashion’s influence. New EPR regulations aim to push producers to fund textile recycling—but the implementation gap leaves second‑hand chains at risk while systemic improvements lag.
Sources: Humana Sweden Financial Times Vouge Business
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