Textiles

Rags against the machine
Rags against the machine

A recent spate of textile bank thefts, both of the bank itself and of the clothes within them, has increasingly drawn the interest of the national press, with the Guardian in particular bringing the issue into the public gaze.


Currently, there are around 15,000 textile banks across the UK, some owned by big charities such as the British Heart Foundation, while others are run by companies on behalf of smaller charities. According to the Textile Recycling Association (TRA), some 750... More

What can you recycle at Christmas?
What can you recycle at Christmas?

Every year we throw away millions of tonnes of wrapping paper, decorations, food and other debris left over from the Christmas festivities. If you’re struggling to know what to do with your waste, check out Resource’s short recycling guide.

It’s time to vote for your Legends of Waste in this year’s Hot 100!
It’s time to vote for your Legends of Waste in this year’s Hot 100!

Who across the waste and resources world has done enough to etch their name into the pantheon of greats as this year’s Legend of Waste? You can tell us now by voting in this year’s Hot 100.

Resources and Waste Strategy outlines government’s circular ambitions
Resources and Waste Strategy outlines government’s circular ambitions
By
Rob Cole
| 18 December 2018 |
Plans to introduce separate food waste collections to every household in England by 2023 and ensure producers pay for the costs of managing their waste packaging have been included in the long-awaited Resources and Waste Strategy.
Carpet Recycling UK announces carpet waste landfill diversion rate increases to 42 per cent
Zero Waste Europe calls for carpet industry to go circular
By
Kate Nicholson
| 5 December 2018 |
Zero Waste Europe and supportive carpet producers are calling for the carpet industry to become a circular industry, by pushing for mandatory legislation across Europe.
Veolia opens up funding for Merseyside waste and recycling projects
Veolia opens up funding for Merseyside waste and recycling projects
By
Kate Nicholson
| 27 November 2018 |
A share of £115,000 from Veolia’s latest Community Fund is available for local community groups in Merseyside and Halton looking to prevent waste and improve recycling.
Promote repair and reuse to increase fashion sustainability, MPs told
Promote repair and reuse to increase fashion sustainability, MPs told
By Resource |
19 November 2018 |
As part of the EAC’s inquiry into the sustainability of the fashion industry, designers and campaigners have called on government to better support repair and reuse of clothing and provide more information for consumers on the environmental impacts of their fashion choices.
Environmental inquiry ready to rail against online fashion retailers
Environmental inquiry ready to rail against online fashion retailers
By
Kate Nicholson
| 12 November 2018 |
The Environmental Audit Committee will be questioning leading fashion designers, entrepreneurs and campaigners at a public evidence hearing at the Victoria and Albert Museum on Tuesday 13 November.
Award-winning clothes repair service looking for public investment
Award-winning clothes repair service looking for public investment
By
Kate Nicholson
| 31 October 2018 |
Clothes Doctor, a fashion repair and reuse startup, has launched a campaign for public investment and raised £100,000 in just a few hours.
Two people fixing a laptop
International Repair Day: Five organisations combating the throwaway society
By
Kate Dickinson
| 19 October 2018 |
To celebrate International Repair Day on 20 October, here are five organisations at the forefront of the repair and reuse movement, encouraging people to opt out of society’s throwaway approach to our belongings.
Fashion bosses to be questioned over industry sustainability
Fashion bosses to be questioned over industry sustainability
By
Rob Cole
| 9 October 2018 |
As part of an EAC inquiry, fashion bosses will be asked to reveal the steps they are taking to improve the sustainability of their operations and reduce the environmental impact of the clothes that they sell.
Major UK mattress recycling company reports a 20 percent increase in revenue
TFR Group reports 20 percent increase in revenue
By
Kate Nicholson
| 4 September 2018 |
The Furniture Recycling Group has announced an increase in revenue following new deals with retailers as it tackles the issue of difficult to recycle materials and rising landfills.
EA investigates companies for shipping 1,000 tonnes of illegal waste to Poland
By
Gethin Roberts
| 15 August 2018 |
45 containers of waste are being sent back to the UK after being intercepted by officials, while three firms are under criminal investigation amid reports of involvement with the ‘trash mafia’.
Three in four people confused about how to reduce impact of plastic
By
Gethin Roberts
| 1 August 2018 |
North London Waste Authority encourages people to ‘Wise Up To Waste’ and switch to reusable bottles, as new research shows that two-thirds of people say that they now possess one.
Resource Association’s awards celebrate recycling achievements
By
Gethin Roberts
| 18 July 2018 |
The Quality Recognition Award winners were announced at the association’s Annual Lecture in London. 
China and EU sign memorandum of understanding on circular economy
By
Gethin Roberts
| 17 July 2018 |
The world’s two largest economies transitioning to circular economy practices could accelerate the adoption of these practices on a global scale.
MPs launch inquiry into sustainability of the fashion industry
MPs launch inquiry into sustainability of the fashion industry
By
Rob Cole
| 22 June 2018 |
Parliament’s cross-party Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has launched a new inquiry into the sustainability of the fashion industry.
EU Circular Economy Package becomes law
EU Circular Economy Package becomes law
By
Rob Cole
| 20 June 2018 |
The EU’s Circular Economy Package (CEP) has been published in the EU’s Official Journal, meaning the legislation will enter into force at the start of July, 20 days after its publication.
John Lewis to reduce waste by buying back unwanted clothing
By
Gethin Roberts
| 18 June 2018 |
A new app, developed in partnership with Stuffstr, will enable customers to sell their clothes back to John Lewis to be reused or recycled.
What are you wearing? Hubbub launches new campaign targeting microfibre pollution
What are you wearing? Hubbub launches new campaign targeting microfibre pollution
By
Gethin Roberts
| 7 June 2018 |
Hubbub’s campaign #WhatsInMyWash aims to raise awareness of how our choice and treatment of clothing contributes to synthetic materials polluting our oceans.
WRAP report reveals SCAP signatories make progress on textile sustainability targets
By
Josie Benge
| 29 April 2018 |
New WRAP report reveals impressive reductions in water use, carbon and waste in the textiles production cycle from Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP) signatories. 
Clothes recycling app has designs on textile circularity
By
Rob Cole
| 18 April 2018 |
reGAIN, the UK’s first app for the recycling of unwanted clothing, has been launched today (18 April) as research claims 73 per cent of consumers no longer wear up to half of the items of clothing they own.
H&M makes progress towards circular model
By
Rob Cole
| 13 April 2018 |
Fashion retail giant H&M has revealed that 35 per cent of the materials used by the company in 2017 were recycled or sustainably-sourced materials in its new Sustainability Report 2017.