SALESIANER Commits to Recycling Despite Challenging Environment
European textile recycling is facing challenges. Recycling capacities are insufficient, and cost pressures are rising in the current economic climate. Nevertheless, SALESIANER stays true to its mission and continues investing in the future of the circular economy.
Dr. Mathias Nell, MBA, Head of Sustainability at the SALESIANER Group, addressed three key questions about textile recycling in an interview with Wiener Wirtschaft and explained why this issue is of particular importance to the company.
1. Why is SALESIANER interested in this topic?
The largest portion of the corporate carbon footprint of the SALESIANER Group is determined by two factors: energy accounts for over 50 %, and textiles for more than 25 %. One of the most significant levers for decarbonization is therefore the increased use of textiles made from recycled fibers, as they are less emission-intensive. Additionally, textile recycling conserves resources such as water, especially in the cotton sector.
2. Where and what types of old textiles arise in your operations that could be recycled more effectively? Types and approximate quantities?
The SALESIANER Group generates over 1,000 tons of old textiles annually. These mainly consist of flat textiles like towels or tablecloths, as well as clothing made of various fabric compositions.
3. What happens to them now? Why is it important to recycle old textiles better than before? Where do you see the biggest challenges?
Currently, the group-wide textile recycling rate is about 75 %. The transfer of materials to manufacturers of cleaning cloths still plays a role. While these cloths are reused multiple times, they eventually end up in thermal recycling at the end of their life cycle. This means that valuable resources are no longer available to the textile cycle. That’s why we are working hard to ensure our textiles are recycled in ways that are better aligned with circular economy and decarbonization principles. The main challenges lie in the internal logistics required for such recycling (e.g., collection, sorting, storage, transportation), the limited recycling capacities in Europe, and the often higher prices of textiles containing post-consumer recycled material, which are difficult to establish in the current challenging market environment.
Read more in the current issue of Wiener Wirtschaft.
PDF Download Kleiderwende: Recyclen statt in den Müll (German only)