Goodwill Industries International, a long-standing leader in circular economy practices through its resale of used goods, is now setting its sights on a significant challenge: establishing a robust textile recycling infrastructure in North America. Recognizing the dire need for solutions to textile waste, Goodwill is leveraging its extensive network and experience to pioneer this crucial initiative.
A recent two-year, $1.28 million pilot study, supported by the Walmart Foundation and involving 25 Goodwill organizations across Canada and the US, revealed promising results. The study found that 60% of unsellable cotton, polyester, and polycotton textiles could be repurposed into new fabrics using existing mechanical and chemical recycling technologies. While these technologies aren’t universally implemented, their availability offers a strong foundation for future development. This key finding was presented at Goodwill’s inaugural national sustainability summit in Washington, D.C., on August 16th.
This pilot program, as stated by Karla Magruder, president and founder of Accelerating Circularity, a partner in the pilot, marks an unprecedented effort in scale by a non-profit collector. Goodwill’s vast network positions it uniquely to address the pervasive issue of textile overproduction. The urgency of this issue is underscored by EPA data showing approximately 17 million tons of textiles ended up in landfills in 2018, representing nearly 6% of all municipal solid waste. Alarmingly, only 14.7% of clothing and bedding was recycled during that period.
The pilot program benefited from partnerships with organizations like the Rochester Institute of Technology, TOMRA (a sorting systems provider), and Sortile, a startup utilizing near-infrared technology and AI to identify fibre types. Building on this momentum, Goodwill and the Walmart Foundation are embarking on a further $2 million study to map the global journey of used textiles.
Goodwill envisions its 154 independent North American organizations evolving into regional hubs, supplying fabric feedstock – the essential raw material for textile recycling. This includes the development of regional collaborative models focused on textile sorting and deconstruction. This approach is crucial for attracting technology developers and investors, as it ensures a consistent supply of feedstock, a point emphasized by Goodwill President and CEO Steve Preston. He stressed the need for collaboration between technology designers, plant builders, product suppliers, and buyers to ensure the economic viability of recycled materials.
Goodwill’s commitment to textile recycling stems from several key factors:
- The absence of a robust recycling system: Unlike established systems for materials like metals and cardboard, textile recycling infrastructure is largely underdeveloped.
- Textiles’ significant environmental impact: Recycling textiles offers a critical solution to a major environmental challenge currently lacking effective solutions.
- Access to high-quality feedstock: Goodwill’s large volume of relatively uncontaminated post-consumer textile donations provides a valuable resource for recycling partners.
- Potential for job creation: The development of these recycling hubs promises new technological and manufacturing job opportunities.
Rachel Kibbe, CEO of Circular Services Group, highlights the existing infrastructure of large reuse organizations, both for-profit and non-profit, as perfectly positioned to support regional circularity. These organizations already possess the necessary logistics, networks, and infrastructure for large-scale material collection, sorting, and redistribution.
While Goodwill handles billions of pounds of donations each year, only about 5% ultimately end up in landfills, according to Green America. This commitment to reuse is further exemplified by local initiatives like Goodwill-Suncoast’s partnership with Osomtex to create socks from upcycled yarn.
Goodwill’s unique position in the textile recycling landscape is defined by:
- Abundant feedstock: Goodwill processed 4.3 billion pounds of goods last year.
- Extensive reach: 80% of the U.S. population resides within 10 miles of a Goodwill location.
- Decades of experience: Goodwill boasts over a century of experience in materials management.
- Strong network connections: Goodwill has a powerful convening role, facilitating collaboration within the sector.
However, the realization of Goodwill’s vision hinges on the development of supportive policies. Marcian Lee, a research analyst at Lux Research, points out the need for financial incentives to ensure the economic viability of smaller, distributed recycling facilities. Rachel Kibbe advocates for legislation like the Americas (Trade and Investment) Act, which proposes $14 billion in incentives for domestic textile recycling to modernize facilities, improve collection systems, and ensure proper material processing. Preston also emphasizes the critical role of brands in purchasing recycled materials and providing long-term contracts to incentivize investment in recycling infrastructure.
Goodwill’s proactive approach represents a significant step towards a more sustainable future for the textile industry, highlighting the importance of collaboration, innovation, and supportive policy frameworks.
