Ireland produces 31kg of unwanted clothing and textile waste per head, nearly double the European average of 16kg, according to a Government-commissioned report.
The Natex 2.0 report, commissioned by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, highlights post-consumer textiles as a growing area of concern for the country. Charity Retail Ireland said its members processed more than 11 tonnes of unsold textiles, equivalent to one million bin bags of clothing not fit for sale.
Charity shops and donation banks across Ireland process roughly 18% of the country’s waste textiles. Mark Sweeney, Chair of Charity Retail Ireland, described the sorting process as resource-intensive.
“Every charity sorts through what they receive as donations,” Mr Sweeney told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, adding that every item with resale value is sold while unsellable items are sent for reuse, remanufacturing, recycling, or downcycling.
Charity Retail Ireland published its annual Impact Report, showing that 407 member shops generated €73 million in income for causes. Member shops sold more than 10 million items of second-hand clothing last year. These stores are operated by organizations including Barnardos, the Irish Cancer Society, Simon Community, and SVP.
The resale process prevented more than 106,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and diverted 21 tonnes of waste from landfills and other waste streams. The ecological benefits calculated in the study equal taking 17 million vehicles off streets for a day, preserving 33 billion litres of water, or capturing the carbon output of 4.8 billion trees within a single day.
Member shops recorded more than 10 million customer transactions. The network relies on 5,000 volunteers, 800 full and part-time employees, and 1,000 workers across Community Employment and Tús programs.
Despite strong retail performance, the charity sector faces mounting pressure from rising operational costs and unmanageable volumes of poor-quality donations. Processing unusable textiles pulls resources away from the primary causes these charitable organizations were established to support.
“While the value created by the sector is clear, there is still more we can do, and the right support is essential to help charity retail reach its full potential,” Mr Sweeney said.
Mr Sweeney advised that before donating clothing, people should consider whether they would give the item to a friend or neighbour, and refrain from donating it to a charity shop if it fails that standard.
“Charity Retail Ireland will continue to champion the sector, work with policymakers to secure the supports it needs, and make sure the contribution charity retail makes to communities, charities and the environment is recognised and strengthened,” Mr Sweeney said.
Findings from the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment’s Natex 2.0 assessment reveal that every individual in Ireland produces 31kg of unwanted garments and textile refuse, whereas the broader European norm sits at 16kg.
Charity Retail Ireland members processed more than 11 tonnes of unsold textiles, which equals over one million bin bags of clothing that were not fit for sale.
Across Charity Retail Ireland’s 407 shops, a total of €73 million in income was generated for causes, accompanied by more than 10 million customer transactions.