The Danish consumption of clothing, footwear, and other textiles is increasing. At present textile manufacturing is a burden on both the environment and climate, and it is crucial that a larger share of the Copenhageners’ textiles are reused and recycled. Currently textiles (both reusable and recyclable textiles) are collected from the recycling stations. In addition, charities and other private textile actors run a parallel collection scheme, certain bring points located around the city.

A major part of the collected quantities is sold or exported, but still, every year approx. 6,000 tonnes of household textiles end in the residual waste for incineration. Following the City of Copenhagen’s waste and resource management plan 2024 and the national Climate plan for a greener waste sector and Circular economy, the City of Copenhagen is currently in the process of planning an upcoming household collection scheme for textile waste. The overall ambition is to collect and recycle 2.000 tons by 2024 (1.000 tonnes by 2023).

Studies show that 60% of the incinerated textiles are reusesable e.g., wearable clothing, shoes etc. Almost 30% of the textiles can be reprocessed into new raw materials, such as nonwovens, for example, felt, furniture filling, heat/sound insulation and in a smaller scale, into new textile yarns (fibers) and flatware.

Please contact us if you want more information or wish to help us make textiles circular.