Citizens and consumers act as suppliers and take part in recycling textile material as bedsheets and closing the loop in the supply chain.
The Finnish textile company organized a recycling campaign activating citizens into recycling cotton-based textiles; mainly bedsheets, but also towels and jeans. The campaign was so well received that the company made textile recycling a permanent practice. The feedback was positive, the enthusiasm to bring sheets to collection points at Finlayson stores exceeded expectations.
Finlayson began collecting discarded textiles in its stores in 2015. All of Finlayson's stores are located in Finland, but almost all production takes place abroad. However, from the recycled products, the carpet/rag products are manufactured in Finland. Recycling gives new life to textiles, creates a circular economy and avoids valuable textiles going to landfills or incineration.
Customers bringing old/used textiles for recycling receive either a 10-euro coupon, for every 30 euro purchase, or a 20% discount coupon. The textiles returned are sorted and washed. Once the sheets are cleaned, they are cut into carpet weave, which is eventually woven into rag rugs and rag pieces for sale by Finlayson. The rags are made from textiles in good condition. Unusable textiles are sent to Finnish textile recycling companies, such as Dafecor, recycled as insulation material for the automotive industry and interior upholstery in car floors and roofs.
Resources needed
During 2017, home textile manufacturer Finlayson collected about 8,000 pairs of old jeans in its stores to be used as materials for towels. The jeans accumulated about 12 tons of raw material for upcycled towels.
The upcycled rugs are manufactured in Finland by VM-Carpet company.
Evidence of success
Old sheets can be recycled either in the store and by post to Finlayson free of charge. A total of 19.5 tons of old home textiles were returned in 2016. During 2017, Finlayson collected 12 tons, or about 8,000 pairs of old jeans, as a towel material in its stores. During 2017, the production of towels from recycled material saved more than 10 million litres of water. Furthermore, in 2019, the production of towels saved 21 million litres of water due to use of recycled material from citizens.
Difficulties encountered
Challenges are the fact that there are more textiles than the company can handle. Challenges for the recycling of textiles are caused by limited re-use opportunities and partners.
Making the collected sheets into rag rugs is problematic, as the skill of rug weaving is disappearing from Finland.
Potential for learning or transfer
The Salvation Army has been working with Finlayson since the late 1990s. In February 2010, Finlayson run a campaign (Tuuletus-kampanja), with the Salvation Army, offering citizens the opportunity to recycle old bedding, blankets and pillows and give them to others in need. Items were further delivered to Salvation Army dormitories and nursing homes. Recycling boxes for the campaign were found at 263 recycling points throughout Finland. The campaign was held three times in collaboration with the NGO.
Similar campaigns with different commodities could be organized or supported by public authorities and thus engaging citizens and companies in circular economy actions. These campaigns could, at the same time, raise awareness and promote sustainable lifestyle, environmental and social sustainability.
Tags: Circular economy, Citizens, Good practice, Textile
