Exploring the value chain of used textiles in a circular economy

Photo of people looking through a rack of jeans
Start/End date
Event type
Webinar
City
Online
Sector
Clothing and Fashion industry,
Governance,
Recycling,
Reuse,
Social impact,
Waste management & Secondary Raw Materials
Scope
Cooperation and development,
EU
Key Area
Consumption,
Waste management
Organising Body
IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute
Event webpage

How does the export of used textiles work in practice? 

In spring 2025, researchers followed the journey of used textiles collected in Sweden to the second-hand markets in Kenya. The study reveals an efficient, market-driven value chain where reuse extends the life of garments, conserves resources and reduces environmental impact. This webinar highlights how export for reuse can be responsibly organised and why functioning reuse value chains deserve more attention in the debate on used textiles. 

With new EU waste rules set to reshape the circular textiles economy, this discussion comes at a pivotal moment for the industry and policymakers. Expert voices from the EU, Kenya and Sweden will examine the economic and environmental value of second-hand clothing exports and how policy can best support circular textile flows. 

Programme highlights:

  • A presentation of the report From Collection of Used Clothes in Sweden to Reuse in Kenya: A Case Study of Humana Lt’s Value Chain for Second-Hand Clothes.
  • The Swedish, East African and EU perspectives on the EU–Kenya circular textile trade.

This event will take place online at 09:00-10:00 CET on 27 November. It will be in English. Programme and registration.