Public waste agency collects almost 7kg of textiles per resident in a year
Flanders' public waste agency, OVAM, collected an average of 6.86 kilograms of textiles per resident in 2024. Sales of second-hand clothing at thrift shops also rose sharply, by 32 per cent in a year, according to figures released on Wednesday.
More people are bringing worn or unused textiles to collection points, recycling centres and thrift shops. OVAM collected an average of 6.22kg per resident in 2022, rising to 6.57kg in 2023 and 6.86kg in 2024.
This trend is positive, the agency says, as every piece of textile that is reused or recycled saves raw materials, energy and CO2 emissions.
Sales in the second-hand sector are also booming. In 2024, thrift shops sold 4,792 tonnes of second-hand textiles, a 32 per cent increase on the previous year. This growth shows that reuse is becoming increasingly common and that second-hand clothing is back in favour, OVAM says.
Concerns over quality
However, there is still work to be done. A significant volume of textiles continues to end up in residual waste.
“We see that the quantity is increasing, but the quality is decreasing,” says Werner Annaert, administrator general of OVAM. “Cheap, quickly produced clothing makes it more difficult to reuse or recycle collected textiles. As a result, some of the collected textiles still end up as low-quality waste or even as residual waste.”
"Quality clothing remains valuable, fast fashion doesn’t. Some can be resold, others end up in the waste mountain after a few washes. This has to change"
On Wednesday, OVAM called for the introduction of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for textiles. Under such a system, producers must contribute financially and substantively to the collection, reuse and recycling of their products.
“The future of textiles starts with the design,” Annaert says. “With the EPR, we are shifting the focus from the end of the chain to the beginning. But real change requires collaboration: producers who choose sustainable and recyclable clothing, policymakers who create the right framework and consumers who consciously choose quality over quantity.”
Jo Brouns, Flemish Environment minister, called for European measures to tackle low-quality textiles.
“Flemish people are increasingly choosing second-hand, and that’s no surprise: quality clothing remains valuable, fast fashion doesn’t. Some can be resold, others end up in the waste mountain after a few washes. This has to change,” he said.
“We are counting on European measures to combat the flow of low-quality textiles at dumping prices, and at the same time, we are building an EPR Textile that focuses on reuse and recycling close to home.”
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO BELPRESS
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