Sorting operators: key players in the second life of textiles
Sorting is key to the second life of textiles. Sorting operators play an essential role in the clothing, household linen and footwear industry, giving used CHF a new . Opportunity to be worn again
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Why is sorting essential?
The sorting stage is crucial: this is when used clothing and footwear are sent off for their second life.
Currently, 73 sorting centres have an agreement with Refashion. Their role is essential in achieving industry goals: 300,000 tonnes of clothing, household linen and footwear (CHF) collected, sorted and recycled.
What does it mean to be a sorting operator?
Sorting operators run facilities for sorting used clothing, household linen and footwear, collected separately. They meet the requirements of the eco-organisation's bill of specifications.
Specifically, these players sort textiles in order to give them a new life through:
- Reuse: clothes or shoes that are still wearable, sold on the second-hand market.
- Recycling: tearing/ fraying for recycling as cleaning cloths or new materials.
- Other forms of recovery: Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) in particular.
Industry goals
Refashion assists and supports sorting operators in order to:
Develop
sorting capacity by 2028 and absorb the growing quantities of collected textiles
Encourage
more innovative and competitive applications.
Ensure
a traceable and transparent sorting process meeting high standards of quality.
Signing an agreement with Refashion!
Signing an agreement enables you to :
- To be listed in the regional network.
- Support for better sorting processes and more innovative applications.
- Receive financial support for your business activities and investments.
Requirements for becoming an approved sorting operator
To join the Refashion network, you need to:
- Ensure the upstream and downstream traceabilityof waste flows (collection, export, recycling).
- Provide Refashion with a guarantee of financial transparency.
- Meet the target performance indicators for textile waste in France:
- 5% of valorisation from 2023 (0.5% maximum eliminated waste).
- 70%: minimum recycling rate for sorted CHF from 2025, excluding reuse.
Refashion also provides educational tools to help you explain your role in the industry.
NB: all applications must include Appendix No. 1 and be returned to the following address: operateur@refashion.fr