Study: 97 per cent of used clothes collected in Oslo are sent abroad

We have all seen the mountains of textile waste – remnants of Western countries' clothing consumption – in countries such as Ghana or Chile. 

What can wealthy countries do to prevent our waste from going astray?

Large parts of the clothing waste come from wealthy cities in the Western world. A new study looks at what nine different cities do with used textiles and makes suggestions for better handling of the textiles that the residents have disposed of. 

97 per cent is exported

Oslo is one of the cities in the study. In Norway, 60 per cent of the used textiles becomes waste. 

The rest is collected in clothing containers from charity organisations such as UFF or Fretex. 97 per cent of the collected textiles are exported out of the country.

“Our clothing system, with the collection of clothes from charity organisations, is based on much lower clothing consumption. This model is outdated,” says Irene Maldini.

She is a clothing researcher at Consumption Research Norway (SIFO), OsloMet.

“This is a global problem. The whole system needs a redesign,” she says.

There is little regulation at the national level in the countries included in the study. There is therefore great potential for large cities to try to reduce the export of clothes.

“Cities must set clearer goals for reuse than just a goal to increase the circular economy, as it says in many sustainability strategies,” says colleague Kirsi Laitala.

What does Oslo do?

“We suggest that local authorities get more involved in making reuse and repair easier and more accessible,” says Laitala.

This could, for example, be to facilitate local events, such as clothing swap days and repair workshops.

“In Oslo, some of the libraries have sewing machines for loan. This is unique to Norway,” she says.

Irene Maldini has studied local schemes in Amsterdam. Here, for example, residents with low income receive discounts on repairs. Local authorities support events that focus less on money and consumption and more on reduction and repair.

Better and less consumption

The path to more sustainable clothing consumption involves both better consumption and less consumption.

Better consumption means taking good care of clothes to make them last longer.

We need to be aware of what we have in our closets, buy clothes made from quality materials, and give away clothes we do not use anymore. Good systems are crucial to ensure clothes are reused locally and not sent abroad.

“The best thing is of course that the first owner wears the clothes until they're torn or worn-out. This isn't always possible, so in those cases, usable clothes should be passed on. Additionally, it should be possible to deliver worn-out clothes for recycling,” says Laitala.

Less consumption simply involves limiting the quantities brought into the country.

“There are enough clothes in the world," says Maldini. 

This is a political and global issue. The distribution of clothes must improve. 

"Norway exports a lot of used clothes, but not necessarily the clothes that people in Africa need. A lot ends up as garbage instead,” she says. 

Clothing researchers at OsloMet emphasise that the significant increase in clothes made from synthetic materials, or 'fast fashion,' is a major contributor to the waste problem.

Can regulate where people shop

The researchers behind the study believe that local authorities have the potential to do more to reduce the purchase of new clothes. Better urban planning that focuses on local initiatives instead of large shopping centres could make shopping less appealing as a hobby. 

“Authorities, for example, have the opportunity to regulate how much advertising is displayed in cities and where it's displayed,” says Laitala.

“Cities leave much of the control to the waste management companies and charities. They should take better control themselves,” adds Maldini.

Authorities can also make it financially easier for companies that operate circularly.

“How many shopping centres do we want and how many shopping streets? Local authorities can regulate what becomes shopping areas. They can carry out various economic measures that make it cheaper for companies that deal with reuse and repair, for example cheap premises,” says Laitala.

Suggestions also include offering training in circular business methods, providing cheap or free rent, low taxes, grants and stipends, and promoting these activities in the community.

National regulations

The researchers admit that strong economic interests can make it difficult for local authorities to regulate trade. The most effective measures must be implemented at the national level, not just locally.

They suggest, for example, that there could be varying tax levels based on product types. 

Better training in maintenance and repair through schools and education is also a measure that should be introduced nationally.

Handling textile waste

One of the most important things cities can do is to find good local systems to handle textile waste. 

From January 2025, all European cities must collect residents' textile waste in the same way they handle glass and paper. 

In Norway, much of this is already collected through containers operated by charitable organisations and recycling stations. However, many of the countries in the study lack such systems. 

“The cities must figure out how to handle the textile waste and facilitate local reuse,” says Maldini.

Reference:

Vladimirova et al. Urban transitions towards sufficiency-oriented circular post-consumer textile economics, Nature Cities, 2024. (Abstract) DOI: 10.1038/s44284-024-00140-7

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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no

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