According to a briefing by the European Environment Agency (EEA), the amount of used textiles exported from the European Union (EU) has tripled in the last 20 years, and this trend may continue to rise. The EU has set a target to collect used textiles separately by 2025, but this poses significant challenges for Europe. Despite the common belief that used clothing donations are always useful in Asia and Africa, the reality is often different.
A report based on UN Comtrade data from 2000 to 2019 highlights a trend towards consolidation and specialization in the used textile trade, with five countries accounting for 75 percent of EU textile waste exports and the top 10 receiving countries importing 64 percent of the total volume. However, there is little information available on how these textiles are managed, whether they are reused, recycled, or disposed of. It is generally assumed that clothing and textiles exported to Africa are reused and sold domestically, while Asia, which now receives 41 percent of exports, is known for its specialized sorting facilities where fabrics are often downcycled for industrial rags or re-exported globally. Regardless of the region, textiles that cannot be reused are typically sent to landfills.