Inditex and roba amiga teaming up to recycle textile industry waste

The catalan department of the environment has signed a joint agreement with the clothing cooperative roba amiga and fashion giant inditex to improve the way textile waste is managed in catalonia.

the accord provides for the creation of a processing facility in the community in the near future. after signing the agreement, departmental head, lluís recoder, when interviewed by the media explained, “if roba amiga goes on growing, its recycling capacity will also increase and therefore it will need to look for bigger premises and take on more staff. “ mr. josep maría tost, head of catalonia’s waste management agency added that the recycling plant, for which a suitable location is still being sought, will not only be responsible for disposing of used fabric, but will also produce recycled textiles for use in industry, such as those used in automobile upholstery.

in order to achieve the goals of the project, inditex has agreed to put in a total of €450,000 over a three-year period. catalonia generates upwards of 185,000 tonnes of textile waste per year of which, a mere 15,000 tonnes are recycled and of this meagre 10%, only some 40% of garments are made use of through second-hand outlets or charities.

roba amiga comprises 17 ngos and has a network of 25 shops selling second-hand garments, fed by 1,450 clothing banks on streets throughout catalonia. the group employs a staff of 165, of whom 90 come from socially challenged groups. roba amiga chairman, maria elvira, explained that the creation of the plant will lead to the creation of between 150 – 350 jobs, although she was not able to put a precise date on when the increase in the workforce would take place.

source: http://mx.fashionmag.com