Recently we welcomed members of the WRAP Textiles team to our Halebank headquarters for an in-depth look at the realities facing the UK’s reuse and recycling sector.
During the visit, Sheryl Lee, Dr Bethany Sugg, Amy-Grace Enzer, Rebecca Hale and India Fallon toured our facility, observed our operational processes and discussed the pressures created by rising textile volumes and a noticeable decline in material quality.
With elements of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) already underway across Europe, the UK’s slower policy timeline continues to place additional strain on recyclers managing growing quantities of lower-grade material.
The visit provided an opportunity to share our frontline experience and how our teams are adapting, investing and identifying new end markets to keep textiles in circulation despite rapidly changing conditions.
Simon Roberts, Director at Roberts Recycling, said:
“Having WRAP see the realities first-hand is really important. Our sector is changing quickly, and the challenges around declining quality and rising volumes are significant. We’re working hard to innovate, secure responsible outlets and stay ahead of what’s coming. We appreciated the chance to discuss this openly with the WRAP team and we were delighted to meet their team in person.”
Collaboration between policymakers, industry, recyclers and fashion brands will play a vital role as the UK prepares for future policy shifts and a more responsible approach to managing textile waste.
We’d like to thank the WRAP team for taking the time to visit and for their continued work supporting the transition to a more sustainable textile system.
