In a groundbreaking move towards a more sustainable future, Goodwill, Reju, and WM have announced a multi-year initiative to revolutionize textile recycling in North America. This collaboration aims to create a circular textile ecosystem, diverting discarded textiles from landfills and paving the way for a more responsible fashion industry.
The current state of textile recycling is alarmingly inefficient, with less than 1% of global textile production being recycled. This collaboration aims to change that by developing a comprehensive model for regional textile collection, sortation, reuse, and recycling. This will involve pilots to collect, sort, and grade discarded textiles for resale, with the remaining non-wearable textiles being provided to Reju for potential recycling and regeneration into new materials.
Reju, a progressive textile-to-textile regeneration company, is developing technology to transform textile waste into new, sustainable materials. Their proprietary technology, originating from IBM research, aims to create a circular ecosystem for textile recycling. Reju’s goal is to regenerate polyester waste at scale, producing Reju Polyester, which boasts a 50% lower carbon footprint than virgin polyester and can be regenerated infinitely. This initiative aligns perfectly with Goodwill’s 120-year legacy of promoting circularity.
Goodwill, the largest workforce development network and secondhand retailer in North America, is poised to play a crucial role in this initiative. They are actively seeking partnerships with brands, retailers, technology companies, equipment providers, and government and non-governmental organizations to advance their textile recycling and recovery efforts. This project leverages Goodwill’s expertise and infrastructure, combined with WM’s environmental solutions, to create a robust system for textile collection and sorting.
Reju’s plan to build a U.S.-based regeneration hub, which will receive non-resalable textiles collected through Goodwill and WM, is expected to further contribute to the development of a circular textile ecosystem. This collaboration signifies a significant step towards creating a more sustainable future for the fashion industry. By diverting textiles from landfills, promoting reuse and regeneration, and fostering circularity, this initiative aims to address the environmental challenges posed by textile waste.
