Only 50% of donated clothes in Ireland are resold

Charity shops in Ireland receive significant clothing donations, but only about half can be resold. The rest is either sent abroad or handled in different ways. Martina Cooper, a charity shop manager, explains that volunteers sort through around 60 bags of clothing daily. Donations have increased, leading to a rise in sales. Younger people are increasingly interested in second-hand clothes. Charity organizations have systems to manage unsold clothes. For example, St Vincent de Paul redistributes items among its shops. This has improved the resale rate of donated textiles. However, still only about 50% of the clothing remains suitable for sale. The other half goes to a recycling facility in Northern Ireland, where it is sorted into various categories. From the clothing sent for recycling, a large portion is exported for reuse, while some is turned into materials like insulation. Nonetheless, unsorted textiles are often improperly disposed of, polluting environments in other countries. Experts are advocating for new EU legislation to improve how textiles are tracked and managed. This includes a Digital Product Passport system to trace clothing from manufacturing to disposal. Such measures aim to curb the overproduction of low-quality garments, a significant issue in the textile industry. Currently, Ireland produces a vast amount of textile waste—164,000 tonnes each year. This reflects a broader concern over fast fashion and poor-quality clothing that often ends up in landfills, especially in Africa. The government is working on understanding and managing these challenges through initiatives like the Textile Advisory Group, which is set to release a report soon.