Next, Primark and Tesco back WRAP initiative to overhaul UK textile collections

Next, Primark and Tesco are backing a new industry-wide programme led by NGO Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to redesign the UK’s textile collection system, addressing rising waste volumes and falling resale values put pressure on the sector.

The Textiles Collections Transition Programme aims to improve how used textiles are collected, sorted, reused and recycled, keeping more materials out of residual waste and supporting the expansion of fibre-to-fibre recycling.

Research by WRAP found that 1.45 million tonnes of post-consumer textiles arise in the UK annually, equivalent to 21 kilograms per person. Nearly half of these textiles are disposed of in household residual waste, with around 84 percent of discarded textiles incinerated and 11 percent sent to landfill.

The programme’s first phase, funded by Next, Primark and Tesco, has produced a report identifying existing good practice and potential solutions for improving textile collections. WRAP will now work with retailers, brands, local authorities, charities, collectors, sorters and recyclers to develop a blueprint for industry-wide action, due to be published in spring 2027.

The initiative comes amid mounting financial pressure on textile collection and sorting operations. WRAP reported that the price charities receive for collected textiles fell from 375 pounds per tonne in January 2024 to 70 pounds two years later, while the cost of collecting and sorting worn-out textiles is estimated at 88 million pounds annually.

“Transforming textile collections is an industry-wide challenge that no organisation can solve alone,” said Catherine David, chief executive of WRAP. "By investing in this programme, Next, Primark and Tesco are showing the leadership needed to move from ambition to action and help build a system that works for the whole sector.”

The programme will focus on increasing public participation, establishing a financially sustainable collection system and improving the quality of materials available for recycling. WRAP is also seeking further industry partners to test and scale solutions.

Katherine Organ, sustainability manager for non-food at Tesco, commented: “At Tesco, we are committed to reducing waste and helping build a more circular future for textiles. By supporting WRAP’s Textiles Collections System Transition Programme, we are bringing organisations across the value chain together to develop practical, scalable solutions that improve collections, keep materials in use for longer, and unlock greater reuse and recycling across the UK.”