WHY RECYCLE
- Textiles represent between 3% - 5% of the household waste stream
- Estimates for arising of textile waste vary between 350,000 - 500,000 tonnes each year
- Over 1 million tonnes of textiles are thrown away every year mostly from domestic sources, of which only 25% are recycled
- Recycling textiles can save up to 10 times the energy recoverable by incineration
- It has been estimated that an item of clothing still has 70% of its useful life left after it has been discarded
- Over 70% of the world's population use second hand clothes
Re-use
Charity shops sell donated garments to raise funds, and these represent an effective outlet for unwanted household clothing and footwear. Textile preprocessors like centre ventures help to raise vital funds for charities who are unable to sell all the goods donated whilst contributing the reuse of materials.
The markets for second-hand clothing are large, and there is a considerable demand for unwanted, second-hand UK garments in developing countries. The main destinations for exported second-hand garments are much of Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
Centre Ventures have a vast amount of experience in new and developing markets and we pride ourselves on our environmental conscience and our commitment to the re-use of materials.
What are the benefits of re-use and recycling?
- Reduces the need for landfill space. Textiles present particular problems in landfill as synthetic (man-made fibres) products will not decompose, while woollen garments do decompose and produce methane, which contributes to global warming
- Reduces pressure on virgin resources
- Aids the balance of payments as we import fewer materials for our needs
- Results in less pollution and energy savings, as fibres do not have to be transported from abroad
- Provides an affordable source of clothing to disadvantaged people in the developing world and emerging countries in Eastern Europe. In many of these countries it also provides the basis of economic growth by providing employment for much of the population
- Creates jobs both locally and internationally