This will be illegal after New Year

After New Year, you will no longer be allowed to throw away clothes and other textile products in the trash. The new law, which has arisen following an EU directive, is claimed to contribute to stopping the so-called climate change.

In Sweden, approximately 14 kilos of textiles are consumed per person and year, of which clothes account for about 10 kilos. According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the proportion of textile waste that is recycled is less than one percent in Sweden.

The government has decided to impose requirements for separate collection of textile waste from January 1, 2025. This is a step towards a more circular management of textiles in Sweden and means, among other things, that municipalities should collect household textile waste separately through special clothing containers at recycling stations.

The decision on separate collection of textiles aims to increase the reuse and recycling of textiles. According to the government, the current setup contributes to climate change.

“Textiles and textile waste must be recycled in a more responsible manner, as they cause significant damage to the environment and also contribute to exacerbating climate change worldwide. It is completely unsustainable. That is why we are now ensuring that the raw material from clothes and other textile products is recycled in a better way,” said Minister for Climate and the Environment Romina Pourmokhtari (L) previously.