What: Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Oxfam have initiated a trial scheme to recycle "unwearable but too-good-to-waste" clothing to prevent them from ending up in landfills.

Why it is important: This initiative addresses a critical gap in clothing recycling, offering a solution for textiles that are no longer wearable but still have recycling value. It represents a significant step towards reducing the environmental impact of the fashion industry, promoting sustainability, and moving closer to a circular economy in textiles.

Marks & Spencer, in collaboration with Oxfam, has launched a trial recycling program designed to tackle the issue of unwearable clothes that typically end up in landfills or incinerators. This new scheme encourages UK residents to donate clothes that are stained, ripped, or misshapen using pre-paid postal donation bags. The initiative not only helps clear out unwearable garments regardless of their brand but also includes soft furnishings like bedlinen and towels, although items that are soiled or contaminated are excluded. The collected materials will be processed by the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), which is developing a blueprint for an advanced textile sorting and pre-processing center capable of transforming these textiles into new garments. This effort is part of M&S’s broader sustainability strategy, Plan A, and is supported by a new EUR 1 million accelerator fund. This innovative approach aims to create a fully circular system in the textile industry, significantly cutting down on waste and promoting recycling.

M&S links with Oxfam to keep unwearable clothes from landfill