On a typical day, second-hand stores like Uuskasutuskeskus are bustling with activity, and staff work hard to ensure that no shelves are left completely empty. While the average Estonian buys about 12 kilograms (16,000 metric tons in total) of new clothing and home textiles annually, the consumption of second-hand clothes has significantly increased over the past three years. Likewise, the number of donations to second-hand stores has also grown.

"The total volume of donations is currently around 250,000 kilograms, though this also includes shoes and other items. Donations have increased, as people are investing in the circular economy and bringing in nice and well-preserved goods, which we can put back into circulation. However, we have also seen an increase in the amount of items that we can't actually recirculate and that should end up in landfills. Sometimes we might sort through ten bags of donated items /.../, but from those, we may only get one bag of goods suitable for reuse," said Jaanika Mirtel Aasa, the marketing and communications manager at Uuskasutuskeskus.

As a result, second-hand clothing stores are increasingly forced to send more textile waste to waste centers, where it is incinerated. Currently, Estonia lacks good solutions for dealing with textile waste.

"There is no capacity for recycling textile products, either in Estonia or across the European Union. This capability is still being developed, and the necessary technologies are still under development. They should emerge in the coming years, and there is a great need to invest in this sector, in the development of these technologies and facilities," said Harri Moora, head of the green and circular economy unit at SEI Tallinn.

The problem of textile waste has become so serious that the European Union has also stepped in. Starting next year, a directive will require everyone to sort their clothing and home textiles separately. Estonia currently has 160 collection centers and containers across the country that accept clothing waste suitable for reuse, and textile waste can also be taken to waste stations. However, experts believe that Estonia is not yet prepared for large-scale collection of textile waste, as there is nowhere to process it.

"The European Commission has somewhat acknowledged that imposing such a collection requirement without offering a solution – including funding for the system, which should come with producer responsibility – was somewhat premature," said Moora.

"We should avoid rushing too much. It's not wise to collect large amounts of textile waste when we don't have the means or solutions to process it," he added.

Peep Siim, head of the circular economy department at the Ministry of Climate, is not as pessimistic, as discussions are ongoing with other European countries. Broadly speaking, there are two options for recycling textile waste, both of which require the creation of a new industry. First, textiles can be mechanically shredded into fibers, or they can be chemically processed.

"Mechanical recycling involves shredding textiles into fibers, and depending on the fiber length, it's possible to produce new materials. Chemical recycling involves chemically altering the textile," Siim explained.

"For example, mechanical recycling solutions already partially exist in countries like Italy and Spain where pre-sorted and pre-processed textiles can be sent for recycling. In the Nordic countries, chemical recycling developments are also being planned," Siim added.

"The issue is that textiles are very diverse. It's easy to recycle simple items like linen or single-color textiles, but the more colorful and varied the fabric, the harder it is to recycle. Additionally, buttons, snaps and zippers need to be dealt with during pre-sorting. Once these are removed, the textiles can be directed to mechanical or chemical processing," Siim further explained.

The first step for Estonia should be to establish a sorting center, which would make other countries consider accepting Estonian textiles. EU funding is available for building such a center, but the decision is still being finalized.

"It would be an automated line where lasers would sort different types of textiles and remove reusable items. Such a line could potentially be established in Estonia next year," Siim said.

The European Union is also planning further initiatives. Specifically, a producer responsibility system for textile manufacturers is in the works, meaning that manufacturers will be responsible for organizing the collection, sorting and recycling of textile waste.

"This means that manufacturers will have to organize and pay for the collection, sorting, recycling and processing of waste. This additional funding will primarily come from retail companies that sell clothing and home textiles," said Moora.

In the end, consumers will bear the cost.

"These costs could be significant, and those who place textile products on the market will undoubtedly pass them on to the final product price," Moora added.

Thus, the most reliable way to reduce the environmental footprint of fashion consumption is simple – don't buy unnecessarily.

"Consumers should first consider whether they really need an item. It's better to buy clothes made from natural fibers, such as cotton, wool or silk. These are easier to recycle and are also biodegradable," said Aasa.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!