Mountains of textile waste growing in Europe - not in Africa

When the EU decided that all member states must start collecting textiles separately by 2025, the aim was clear: to reduce one of the most environmentally harmful waste streams and create conditions for reuse and recycling. But the first attempts in several countries have backfired massively and actually worsened the problem. At the same time there is a constant push for the false narrative about textile waste from second-hand export to African countries. This obscures the view of the real problems and opportunities to create circularity.

The textile sector is one of the world’s most polluting industries. It consumes vast amounts of water, chemicals and energy, while driving global resource use. On average, EU citizens buy around 13 kilos of new textiles per person every year, while much of the old clothing ends up in waste bins and is incinerated. Bringing textiles into a circular system is therefore central to Europe’s climate and resource goals.

Sweden – a sad example of the challenges

Sweden moved early, introducing a ban on textiles in household waste in January 2025. But the collection system soon collapsed when people started to throw dirty and damaged garments into collecting bins. Charities raised the alarm, recycling centres filled up, and the government was forced to backtrack. From October, households will once again be allowed to throw damaged textiles into residual waste – while clean and wearable items must still be collected separately.

Uneven progress across Europe

The problems are not unique to Sweden. On the EU level, only about 15% of textiles are currently collected separately so Europe’s textile transition faces several hurdles at the moment:

Insufficient infrastructure: - Too few collection points and weak logistics.

- Limited sorting and recycling capacity: Technology not yet at the necessary scale.

- Weak economic incentives: Recycled textiles are expensive and hard to sell, leaving systems dependent on subsidies.

- Unclear responsibility: It is still unresolved whether consumers, municipalities, producers or charities should bear the main responsibility for collecting and/or sorting.

Blaming African second-hand import

At the same time there is a constant push in media for the narrative about textile waste in African countries. It is said that almost half of the second-hand import to countries like Ghana and Kenya is unusable clothes, discarded upon arrival. 

But as we have documented in our earlier research, this is false. 

In reality, local studies suggest that the demand for second-hand clothes actually exceeds supply and the "mountains of textile waste" has not been found anywhere. They are simply not there. Imported second-hand garments play a crucial economic role in many African communities, providing affordable clothing and supporting local livelihoods and the idea that half of it would be thrown away is totally illogical for anyone who has the least knowledge about it.

No focus on the real issues

So instead of focusing on the real problems; overproduction and overconsumption in combination with a "wear it one time and then throw-away"-attitude, the debate is focusing and attacking those who already are an important part of a circular textile economy. 

European policymakers considering stricter limits on second-hand exports should note that such restrictions could inadvertently worsen Europe’s own textile problem. If reusable garments have no outlet abroad, they are more likely to remain in European waste streams, increasing pressure on collection systems, recycling capacity, and local charities that handle textile sorting. In short, Europe risks creating its own “textile mountains” while addressing a problem that largely does not exist in Africa.

A crucial transition

Getting textile collection right is essential for the EU’s climate and environmental agenda. Experiences so far show that much more is needed: investment in recycling industries, harmonised standards, and clearer producer responsibility – alongside robust support for textiles reuse via global second-hand clothes exports to regions with genuine demand. Until then, Europe’s textile mountains will continue to grow – and old clothes will remain waste rather than a resource and opportunities for other parts of the world.