Our report funded by the Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund (Handelens Miljøfond), the Nordic Council of Ministers, and Shape Foundation, delivered alongside Norwegian consultancy Mepex, explores how used and waste textiles collected in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden are managed after export.
Recent estimates suggest that the EU generates 6.95 million tonnes of textile waste annually, bringing with it a significant opportunity to reduce the textile industry’s environmental impact. The amount of textile products bought by people in the EU is also growing. The average EU citizen bought 17 kg of clothing, footwear and household textiles in 2019, increasing to 19 kg in 2022.
Against this backdrop, a new EU-wide requirement for separate textile waste collections and other textile regulation changes mean managing textiles waste has become a key focus for policymakers and industry stakeholders.
The EU is working to improve the management of textile waste through its Sustainable and Circular Textiles Strategy. Recent and upcoming regulatory changes include updates to the Waste Framework Directive (WFD), including the requirement for separate collection of textiles and the introduction of Extender Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies, as well as updates to the Waste Shipment Regulations and the introduction of Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulations (ESPR).
Limited markets for used textiles in Europe mean large quantities of discarded items are exported to countries outside the continent for reuse. High labour costs lead Nordic countries to export most used textiles unsorted, principally to neighbours in Europe before they are often traded to other European destinations and around the world. A lack of transparency in this textile exports value chain has led to concerns about whether circular outcomes are achieved.
Focusing on clothing, which represents more than three quarters of all textiles placed on the Nordic market, this study investigates the flow of exports to the primary trading partners of Nordic markets and beyond. This includes mapping export flows, estimating volumes, and identifying the characteristics that drive these movements or influence whether they are prepared for onward sale, re-used, recycled, or exported.
Combining analysis of international trade data, country-level stakeholder engagement across key importing countries, and a large-scale track-and-trace exercise involving 200 tagged clothing items, the study provides one of the most detailed examinations to date of the pathways followed by Nordic used textiles.
Taken together, the research identifies six key findings:
- Nordic textile exports are channeled through European sorting hubs.
- Textile journeys are more complex than trade statistics suggest.
- Most tracked textiles remained within Europe, but some went to destinations outside Europe.
- The sector remains reliant on non-European markets, especially for the lowest grades and recycling.
- The pathway followed by textiles is influenced by quality, country of origin, market demand and processing capacity.
- Traceability declines significantly beyond the first sorting stage.
The report includes recommended priorities for Nordic and European policymakers looking to transition to a more circular textile value chain.
Download the full report here.
