"Is this what they wanted? To nearly collapse the system for collecting clothes?"

The collection of clothes and textiles has quickly become a logistical and economic trial for many actors in Europe. Two of the largest operators in Germany have filed for insolvency, and collection organizations in Sweden are struggling to keep operations running.

"It's a system on the brink of collapse," says Cristofer Ståhlgren and Lars Råsberg from Human Bridge, Sweden's largest collector of used clothes. "Is this really what they intended?" they ask.

Human Bridge has agreements with over 140 municipalities and has been operating since 2001. Prior to recent legislative changes, the organization collected approximately 12,000–13,000 tons of textiles annually. These items were sold to sorting companies in Europe, with the proceeds funding Human Bridge's primary mission: donating medical equipment to developing countries.

"It started already in 2023"

However, in 2023, Swedish authorities began halting shipments of used clothing due to new EU directives prohibiting the export of household waste. Although 95% of Human Bridge's collections consist of clothing, the inclusion of small amounts of shoes and bags led to shipments being classified as household waste and subsequently stopped.

"We were forced to burn usable clothes, bags, and shoes that otherwise would have gone to second-hand shops around the world," says Ståhlgren. "This was already on the brink of disaster."

Cristofer Ståhlgren, Sales & Logistics Manager Human Bridge, Sweden

To circumvent this issue, Human Bridge began sorting textiles in-house, a resource-intensive process that strained their finances. "We began at that point to already be financially stretched to the limit," Ståhlgren adds.

Increased Volumes and System Overload

In January 2025, Swedish authorities implemented the EU directive requiring separate collection of textile waste, prohibiting disposal of textiles in household trash. This led to a surge in textile volumes, overwhelming collection organizations like Human Bridge. "Suddenly our collection volumes increased by up to 80%," Ståhlgren reports.

"That meant we needed even more resources, and it became even harder to manage financially."

Swedish collecting bins closed due to overflow of textiles.

The consequences were severe: many collection points had to be shut down because they couldn't handle the increased volumes. This disruption undermines the entire system designed to address the textile industry's environmental challenges. The fewer clothes that go to the second-hand market, the more will be incinerated, and the more new clothes will be produced. This is is exactly what the EU in the long run wants to prevent.

Temporary Reversal and Lingering Concerns

In response to the crisis, the Swedish government announced that, starting October 1, 2025, it would again be permissible to dispose of unusable textiles in household waste. However, Ståhlgren remains skeptical about the effectiveness of this change.

"No, we'll see. I've been wrong before, so I really don't dare hope for anything in this situation," he says.

Human Bridge warns that without urgent financial support, the system for collecting clothes could be near collapse. In some municipalities, they are planning to terminate collection agreements; others are forced to pause operations.

The organization is urging municipalities to temporarily cover additional costs until a producer responsibility scheme is in place. Such a scheme would require textile manufacturers to take responsibility for collection and handling, a measure that is currently under development. The EU Parliament has recently adopted an agreement on producer responsibility for textiles, which is set to be implemented by 2028.

System at a Crossroads

The intended goal of the legal change is clear: to steer Sweden toward more circular management of textiles, where clothes and fabrics are reused or recycled rather than incinerated. However, in practice, the system is at its breaking point: infrastructural limitations, heavy regulation, and a weak economic model threaten to undermine these ambitions.

If nothing is done to strengthen capacity, provide financing, and clarify the regulatory framework, the goal may turn into a system in ruins, with much of the collected material still ending up incinerated. For Human Bridge and similar organizations, this is a situation requiring quick solutions—or the risk that efforts simply won't be enough.

Written by

Thomas Lundkvist

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