The growing popularity of second-hand fashion platforms like Vinted and the increasing desire to find affordable clothing have contributed to a rise in fashion sustainability. However, one textile waste sorting centre has reported an unprecedented increase in discarded garments, raising concerns about the long-term impact of fast fashion.

At the SWD Clothing facility in Bolton, Greater Manchester, approximately 15,500 tonnes of clothing were processed last year. This volume, which equates to around 60 million garments, comes from charity shops and local authority textile bins throughout the region. Despite the increase in collected clothing, there are growing concerns that a significant proportion cannot be recycled.

One major factor contributing to this issue is the rapid growth of fast fashion. Fast fashion refers to the mass production of inexpensive, low-quality clothing that mirrors the latest trends. While these garments are affordable and quickly accessible, they are not designed for durability or recyclability.

According to SWD Clothing, the influx of fast fashion items has made their work more challenging, as these clothes are not built to withstand repeated wear and cannot easily be repurposed.

The process of textile recycling is more complex than many people realise. While there is a common assumption that old clothes can be recycled in a manner similar to plastic, the reality is more complicated. Clothing labeled as “recycled polyester” is typically made from repurposed plastic bottles rather than old textiles.

Peter Page, head of recycling and sustainability, said: “It’s very difficult because clothing is not designed to be recycled. It’s designed to be bought, to be worn and then to be thrown away.”

Genuine textile recycling is largely dependent on garments being made from a single type of fibre, which is becoming increasingly rare due to the prevalence of synthetic materials in fast fashion.

At the sorting facility, workers classify clothing by quality, category, and colour. To be reused or recycled, garments must also be clean and dry. Despite the challenges, SWD Clothing estimates that approximately 75% of the clothing they receive can be reused and is subsequently sold to wholesalers across the globe.

Clothing deemed suitable for recycling is repurposed for various industrial uses. These include being transformed into carpet underlay, noise insulation, and wiping cloths for the oil and gas industry. Meanwhile, research and innovation efforts are ongoing to identify new recycling methods and sustainable applications for discarded textiles. However, around 3% of the garments processed at the centre cannot be reused or recycled and are ultimately sent for incineration.

Although the volume of clothing processed at SWD continues to grow each year, the declining quality of garments presents an ongoing obstacle to effective reuse. Fast fashion’s emphasis on cheap, disposable items exacerbates the problem, making it increasingly difficult to extend the lifespan of these products.

In response to the challenges posed by fast fashion, community-driven initiatives are working to promote sustainable clothing practices.

Valery Touchet, for instance, has started offering free classes to teach people how to sew and repurpose old clothes rather than discarding them. She has observed a cultural shift away from the tradition of passing down garments to a more disposable “buy-and-throw” mentality.

“I just thought if I could educate people on how to reuse what they have already instead of buying new, that would help,” she said.

Her classes not only provide practical skills but also foster a sense of community, particularly among women from diverse backgrounds who value the supportive environment and new knowledge.

The Manchester Fashion Movement is another organisation dedicated to raising awareness about sustainable fashion. Through educational programs in schools, panel discussions, and pop-up exhibitions, the group encourages consumers to rethink their relationship with clothing.

Founder Alison Carlin aims to celebrate local talent while equipping attendees with information they can share and apply in their daily lives.

Proper disposal of unwanted clothing is essential in reducing textile waste. Garments placed in household waste bins are likely to end up in landfills, contributing to environmental degradation. Instead, disposing of old clothes through local authority textile bins or donating them to charity shops offers a more sustainable solution and helps keep textiles out of landfills.

Dr. Patsy Perry, a reader in fashion marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), acknowledges the difficulty of maintaining sustainable habits in the face of constant advertising and the lure of new fashion trends.

“The best thing we can do is wear what we already own,” she said.

“Don’t buy new things if you are only going to wear them once, and there are other solutions like charity shopping or even luxury resellers to explore.”

Ms Touchet agreed, adding: “Look through your wardrobe, there is always something [to recycle].”

“If you don’t know how to go about it, that’s where I come in, to help you refashion, reuse them and repurpose.

“If it was a dress before we can turn it into a blouse, or a top and a skirt.”

To address this challenge, MMU has launched a project to analyse surplus clothing collected across Greater Manchester. The goal is to assess whether textiles are reusable, reusable but of low quality, or non-reusable.

Preliminary findings from the MMU project reveal that over half of the textiles analysed are categorised as high-quality reusable. A smaller portion is deemed low-quality but still reusable, while less than a third are classified as non-reusable.

As part of their research, textiles processed at the Bolton sorting centre are being scanned to determine their material composition. This data aims to improve the understanding of which garments can be recycled into new textiles or other products, thereby minimising textile waste.

By fostering better consumer habits, supporting community-led initiatives, and advancing textile recycling technology, it is possible to mitigate the environmental impact of fast fashion. While the challenges are significant, ongoing efforts offer hope for a future where fewer garments end up in landfills and more resources are preserved through reuse and recycling.