New free service to collect clothing from homes

04/02/2023 - 10:22 h

Local people can request this service by calling 010. The goal is to increase the volume of second-hand clothing from the current figure of 11% to reach 15% in 2027. The textile sector is one of the industries with the biggest environmental and climate impact, being the fourth largest consumer of raw materials and water and the fifth in greenhouse-gas emissions.

The service is part of the Barcelona Zero Waste Plan 2021-2027 and comes as an addition to the network of 225 collection points and containers in public space, which between them were used to collect 2,500,000 kilos of clothing in 2022.

The new service will accept clothing, accessories, footwear, towels, sheets and curtains. Users can request the service if they have a minimum of five full rubbish bags measuring 60×54 cm, or three of 68×70 cm, or two and one respectively in the case of people who can accredit reduced mobility.

The collections will be carried out two non-profit labour insertion companies, from Mondays to Fridays, between 9 am and 2 pm and 3 pm and 7 pm (mornings only on Saturdays).

What happens to the clothing given for recycling?

  • 59% is reused in second-hand shops or exported to other countries.
  • 37% cannot be reused, so new fibres are created from them.
  • 4% cannot be used at all.