A nationwide network for used textile collection is quietly taking shape inside Turkey's post offices. The latest initiative under the country's 'Zero Waste' plan transforms every outlet of the state-run PTT postal and logistics system into a textile recycling node. This is not merely an extension of environmental charity; it is a restructuring of the infrastructure that underpins the circular textile supply chain.
The Collection Network: From Mailbox to Sorting Center
The project originates from the 'Zero Waste' initiative launched in 2017 by Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdogan. The core mechanism is straightforward: collection bins are placed at all PTT post offices nationwide. Consumers drop off used garments, which are first registered and then transported to a central processing facility. There, workers sort items by type, material, condition, and reuse value, followed by a standardized disinfection process.
Samed Agirbas, Chairman of the Zero Waste Foundation, stated that wearable clothes recovered through the project will be distributed to those in need via social aid channels, while non-wearable textiles will enter the recycling stream. To close the loop, partner companies donate new garments to the project, which are then distributed to beneficiaries, creating a public-interest model that links 'old for new' exchange with industrial collaboration.
Industry Impact: The 'Capillary Effect' of Textile Collection
For the textile industry, the deeper significance of Turkey's move lies not in charity but in solving the 'last mile' of collection. Post offices cover urban and rural areas, have stable foot traffic, and operate under standardized management—making them ideal as low-barrier, high-density collection terminals. Compared with relying on scattered scrap dealers or community volunteers, this systematic deployment dramatically reduces the logistics cost and time required for collection.
From a supply chain perspective, the scalability of collection is the prerequisite for the profitability of recycled fiber production. Many previous projects failed because they could not collect enough or the collected material was too mixed. The Turkish model—with its unified registration, centralized sorting, and pre-disinfection—provides downstream recyclers with a more controllable raw material stream. This means producers of recycled polyester and recycled cotton yarn can access more stable and cleaner feedstock, improving product quality and capacity utilization.
For export-oriented textile economies, this model offers a replicable reference. Turkey itself is a major textile supplier to Europe; establishing a domestic closed-loop collection system helps it comply with increasingly stringent EU sustainability regulations—such as the Waste Framework Directive's requirements for separate textile collection—while reducing dependence on imported recycled raw materials.