The Textile Recycling Association and 15 others write to UNEP expressing concerns about the process.
Today the UK Textile Recycling Association along with 15 other organisations and key individuals from across the globe have written an open letter to the United Nations Environment Programme to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Circularity and Used Textile Trade Project, which seeks to establish global guidelines to distinguish used textiles from textile waste.
In the letter the signatories express their serious concerns about this project due to its significant global implications and that they do not believe the process has been conducted with full rigour and impartiality, leading to the possible proposal of unworkable global guidelines which risk seriously impacting the livelihoods of millions involved in the collection, sorting, import/export, and sale of second-hand clothing, while also undermining genuine circularity and access to affordable clothing.
As well as the Textile Recycling Association, the letter has also been signed by the following organisations:
- Ghana Used Clothing Dealers Association
- Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya
- Togo Used Clothing Dealers Association
- Retex Global (Pvt) Limited
- Landfills2Landmarks
- Wanjiku Muturi, Nominated MP, Kenyan National Assembly
- Dr Brian Mangwiro, Senior Advisor, Abalon Capital
- Prof. Stephen T. Odonkor, Fulbright Scholar and Associate Professor of Public Health and Environmental Management, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration
- Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART -USA)
- Bureau of International Recycling (BIR)
- Recycling Europe (formerly EuRIC)
- Nordic Textile Network
- Human Bridge
- USAgain
- Garson & Shaw
To view the letter click on this link – Open Letter – Concerns – Circularity and Used Textile Trade Project
