Turkey's Old Clothing Recycling Initiative: How Zero Waste Policy Reshapes the Textile Circular Economy Chain

In July 2026, Turkey launched a textile recycling campaign, placing clothing collection bins at national postal and logistics outlets. This initiative is not an isolated event but the latest phase of the Zero Waste project initiated in 2017. For the global textile industry, this means a country with annual textile and apparel exports exceeding $30 billion is systematically embedding waste management into public infrastructure.

Policy Landing: From Charity to Industrial Chain Closure

The project operates on two tracks. One is charitable: wearable clothes are sorted, disinfected, and distributed to disadvantaged groups through social assistance channels. The other is industrial: unwearable textiles enter recycling processes, where partner companies transform them into new products. In return, these companies donate new clothes to the project, forming a closed loop of collection, recycling, and donation.

Samed Agirbas, chairman of the Zero Waste Foundation, stated publicly that government departments are coordinating to ensure collected wearable clothes reach those in need. This marks Turkey's textile waste management upgrade from scattered grassroots efforts to a systematic program with government backing, infrastructure support, and corporate participation.

Industry Impact: Ripple Effects on Global Textile Supply Chains

Turkey is the third-largest textile supplier to Europe, with its industry heavily reliant on exports, especially to the EU. The EU is advancing the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and the Waste Framework Directive, which impose rigid requirements on textile recycling and recycled content. Turkey's move is essentially a preemptive layout—by building a national recycling network, it accumulates raw materials for recycled fibers, lowering future compliance costs for exporters.

For international buyers, this means Turkish suppliers may achieve more stable supply capabilities in sustainable materials like recycled polyester and recycled cotton. Moreover, the project's model—using postal outlets as recycling terminals—reduces logistics costs and improves collection efficiency, a model worth emulating by other textile-producing countries.

However, challenges remain. Sorting, disinfection, and recycling of old clothes require significant technical investment and standard systems. The project is still in its early stages, and key metrics such as actual collection volume, sorting accuracy, and quality stability of recycled fibers are yet to be observed.

Practical Advice

For Buyers - Prioritize Turkish suppliers collaborating with the Zero Waste project, as their recycled material supply chains may offer better traceability. - When including recycled fiber content clauses in contracts, reference the project's sorting standards as third-party verification. - Monitor subsequent data releases on collection volumes to assess the stability of Turkey's recycled textile raw material supply.

For Foreign Trade Companies - When exporting textiles to the EU, calculate the proportion of recycled materials in advance; Turkey's recycling network can serve as a potential source. - Understand the density and coverage of collection bins at Turkish postal outlets to evaluate logistics integration costs. - Watch for potential export tax rebates or tariff incentives from the Turkish government for recycled textiles, as these directly impact procurement costs.