Locations for Textile Waste Disposal
SPAIN
Spain introduced a draft legislation, which establishes the separate collection of textile waste by local organisations by 31 December 2024. Right now, Spain has different types of collection systems that collects textile items for reuse, as well as end-of-life textile items. Local authorities provide collection through municipal systems in form of fixed, mobile or neighbourhood recycling centres. Moreover, there are collection containers located in private areas of economic activities (petrol stations, shopping and leisure centres, supermarkets, etc.). Reusable textiles can be donated to thrift stores, social or charitable entities. Current operators are Caritas/Moda-re, Humana, Aeress, Asirtex, Madre Coraje, and Restantes. Caritas, for example, accepts textiles in any condition.
Their collection containers can be located here.
Currently, only about 12% of used clothing in Spain is collected separately for recycling or reuse, with the remaining 88% ending up in landfills. To address this issue, a consortium of major fashion retailers have initiated a pilot program for the collection of textile waste in Spain, called RE-VISTE. Set to commence in April 2025, this year-long trial aims to establish dedicated collection points for discarded textiles and footwear across various locations such as public streets, shopping centers, and schools. The primary goal is to facilitate the separation of these items from general waste, enabling their reuse or recycling. Details about these locations are expected to be made available closer to the launch date.
further resources:
○ Textil y Calzado
○ Article: RE-VISTE
○ Article: How Fashion Retailers Are Driving Sustainability in Spain