Chapter 7 — full chapter
7.5 Collection and Sorting
Effective recycling begins with efficient collection and accurate sorting. Across Europe, most end-of-life textiles are collected through municipal separate collection systems, charities, social enterprises and specialised textile collection organisations, while brand-operated take-back programmes currently account for only a small proportion of collected textiles. Regardless of who collects them, garments should be sorted according to fibre composition, colour and condition to identify the most appropriate recovery pathway. Automated sorting technologies using near-infrared spectroscopy, computer vision and artificial intelligence improve sorting accuracy and produce higher-quality feedstocks for reuse and fibre-to-fibre recycling. Designing products with identifiable materials, minimising complex fibre blends, and providing Digital Product Passports or other product information further facilitates efficient sorting and material recovery.
This is where the product information created upstream pays off — the link back to Chapter 4. Material composition, product identity, care and repair information and recovery data determine whether an item can be authenticated, repaired, resold, sorted or recycled effectively. Where that information is missing or unreliable, the sorting decision defaults to the lowest-value route.
RESOURCE INSIGHT: Sorting for Circularity — Fashion for Good & Circle Economy. A multi-country research series (EU, India, USA) that maps textile waste flows and quantifies what is rewearable, recyclable or unrecoverable - showing that a large share of collected textiles can stay in use. The 'Sorting for Circularity' framework gives brands, collectors and sorters shared data to prioritise investments in reuse and fibre-to-fibre recycling. Source: https://www.fashionforgood.com/topic_area/textile-waste/.