Fashion for Good has launched the Sorting for Circularity Project to address the challenge of textile recycling. The project brings together key brands and industry leaders from across Europe to conduct a comprehensive textile waste analysis using more accurate, innovative Near Infrared (NIR) technology This research will lead to an open digital platform to match textile waste from sorters with recyclers, enabling their alignment and building an infrastructure towards greater circularity in the years to come.

Funding for the project is being provided by Laudes Foundation and facilitated by brand partners, adidas, Bestseller and Zalando, as well as Inditex as an external partner. Fashion for Good partners Arvind Limited, Birla Cellulose, Levi Strauss & Co, Otto and PVH Corp. are participating as part of the wider working group. Circle Economy leads the creation and implementation of the methodology, with support from Refashion, to assess textile waste composition. The analysis will provide the most representative snapshot of textile waste composition generated in Europe.

Findings from this research will enable sorters to take action through the support of a digital platform that matches their textile waste with recyclers. This open-source platform will bring greater transparency, spark greater harmonization between the industries, and ensure the learnings contribute to foundational change for the industry at large.