VOICE welcomes the launch of My Waste’s Textiles Reuse & Recycling Map, a new national tool designed to help people better manage unwanted clothing
The Regional Waste Management Planning Authorities (MyWaste.ie) just launched a national public awareness campaign accompanied by its National Textile Map.
This campaign is meant to support citizens on where and how to discard or donate their used clothing, footwear and textiles responsibly to maximise opportunities for reuse and recycling. The Map is a database of public return points to provide reliable information to the public on their options for post-consumer textiles.
We have been working hard to bring attention to the many issues around how we manage our textile waste in Ireland. In 2025 we released the results of our Threads of Truth investigation which found that 95% of donated clothing, was sent out of Ireland.
We, at VOICE Ireland, are delighted to see a national initiative that gives people clear guidelines on how to do the right thing.
The message is: clean and dry, shoes and socks paired and ready to wear. This is giving a clear definition at what is reuse. Building on years of campaigning for better transparency and waste reduction in the fashion industry, we see this initiative as a step in the right direction.
It has become urgent for citizens to know what can be donated and where, to avoid illegal dumping and maximise the chances of clothes being reused.
This campaign also highlights the remaining challenges Ireland is facing. Local authorities and charities are increasingly under pressure as the volume of discarded textiles continues to rise. The campaign urges not to discard bags of clothes on the ground, but in the banks or in the charity shops. This reflects a reality: local authorities and charities are increasingly under pressure as the volume of discarded textiles continues to rise. Many items, often originating from fast fashion, still don’t have a clear path in the waste management structure of textiles. Clothes that aren’t good for reuse or recycling still should be disposed through the general waste bin.
That is why prevention measures and the development of national and European infrastructure to valorise this waste are crucially needed.
The upcoming EPR should support both reduction and design for circularity to relieve pressure at the end of the supply chain. On the other hand, individuals need to revalorise clothes and care for them.
In this regard, VOICE also welcomes the new National Roadmap on Circular Textiles, which comprehensively looks at the issues of fast fashion and overconsumption as well as sustainable markets for used textiles. The map represents the first steps in this journey. VOICE’s programme and website Fabric of Change support this vision: changing both our individual and systemic ways of engaging with fashion.
While this new tool is a welcome development, we’re hoping to see it be complemented by stronger measures as outlined in the National Roadmap to reduce textile waste at the source and improve transparency across the value chain. VOICE Ireland hopes this map will evolve into a holistic tool that can provide the public with information and clarity about the fate of the clothes they are donating.
“This initiative answers a real and growing need. People want to do the right thing with their clothes, but too often lack clear, trustworthy information.” Solene Schirrer, Fabric of Change Programme Lead.
