Following the thread of textile recycling

They went to find out what happens to textiles placed in LMB's mini-recycling banks around Southend-on-Sea . Each item arriving at the facility is hand-checked.  

Good quality garments are grouped according to the materials they are made from, and then baled together for export.

LMB exports around 80 per cent of the clothes and textiles to Africa and Eastern Europe where they are transported from city centres to remote rural communities.

Most regions of Africa do not have a textile industry able to produce affordable good quality clothes. Exporting second hand clothes from the UK helps to create overseas markets and supplies affordable western clothes to those who would not otherwise be able to buy them.

Most of the clothes exported are sold or traded in local community markets.

However 50 per cent of the textiles and materials received are not fit for re-use, so they are either cut into industrial rags, or sent for flocking and felting.

Less than 5 per cent - which includes household rubbish, hangers and single shoes, is unable to be recycled or re-used - and is sent to landfill.

Recycling Champion, Councillor Pat Holden, who chairs Leigh Town Council, said: "I cannot believe the amount of care that goes into the sorting of the textiles, there are about 162 categories and a lot of people involved in the process.

"I was also surprised at how little cannot be reused in some way. It was a great trip."

Recycling Champions are local volunteers who encourage their friends, families, neighbours and colleagues to recycle more to help Southend reach its 60 per cent recycling target by 2015. 

Last year, Champions visited Aylesford Newsprint Paper Mill in Kent to see how paper from Southend's mini recycling centres is recycled and also went to Bywaters Materials Recycling Facility to see how materials within pink recycling sacks are separated for recycling.

Their next event is a food waste workshop on Wednesday 23rd March. To find out more, or to sign up to become a Recycling Champion, call Rutendo Chitiga on 07894 515 875 or email rutendochitiga@sauceconsultancy.co.uk.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Public Protection and Waste, Councillor Tony Cox says: "Recycling Champions have seen for themselves that textiles that we recycle in Southend have a second life.

"We hope this will encourage residents to take their old clothes, paired shoes and other textiles to the borough's mini-recycling centres, charities or the Household Waste Recycling Centre or alternatively use the clear textile recycling sack scheme."

Residents are reminded that if anybody other than Cory Environmental, or an approved registered charity, removes clear textile recycling sacks from the edge of a resident's property, the resident should record the vehicle's registration number and call the Police on 0300 333 444.