Sweden Faces Textile Recycling Challenge

Since early 2023, Swedes have been barred from throwing textiles into regular rubbish. The result? Recycling centres across the country are overwhelmed. Local authorities are now calling on fast fashion giants for help.

“It’s a huge amount coming in every day. It’s been crazy,” said Brian Kelly, secretary general of the Artikel2 charity shop in Stockholm.

The new EU directive demands separate collection systems for textiles. That’s pushed up clothing drop-offs dramatically. Stockholm alone saw a 60% jump in January and February compared to the same period last year, according to Karin Sundin from the city’s waste authority.

Why Is It Happening?

The goal is circularity – reusing or recycling instead of throwing away. Swedish Environmental Protection Agency data shows 60–70% of collected textiles are reused. Another 20–30% get recycled into things like insulation. But 7–10% are still burned for energy.

The problem? Sweden can’t keep up. Its sorting infrastructure is underdeveloped. Much of the clothing ends up in Lithuania, where large-scale facilities handle sorting. “It’s so labour-intensive and costs a lot,” Sundin explained.

On average, each Swede tosses out 10 kilograms of clothing a year. That’s lower than the EU average of 19 kilograms—but still adds up to 90,000 tonnes annually.

And it’s not just a waste problem. Fashion’s environmental toll is massive. Cotton production gulps water and chemicals. It pumps out emissions. “If we just doubled how often we wore our clothes, we could cut emissions in half,” said Yvonne Augustsson from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

In some rural towns like Kiruna, where processing options are scarce, textiles are still incinerated. But change is coming. The EU is negotiating rules to hold fast fashion brands accountable for their waste. A draft agreement reached in February will make companies like H&M and Zara pay for collection, sorting, and recycling.

What Can Consumers Do?

There’s also a push for better design. “We need clothes that last,” Augustsson urged. H&M has backed the proposed changes.

Consumers are being urged to do their part. Beatrice Rindevall from the Swedish Society for the Conservation of Nature suggests buying no more than five new items a year. Clothing swap events are gaining traction, offering people a chance to refresh their wardrobes sustainably.

“We focus on creating the solution so that people actually have an alternative,” said volunteer Eva Vollmer at a swap in Linkoping.

As the rules reshape the system, Sweden’s path forward depends on collaboration between cities, citizens, and the fashion industry.