Circular Economy: Dunelm Launches Charitable Takeback Scheme

Textile waste production amounts to 92 million tonnes globally each year, equivalent to producing the height of Mount Everest every seven minutes. 

Meanwhile, the billion pound a year UK textile industry encompasses one in every 25 UK jobs and sends approx US$180m of clothing to landfill annually. 

This paints a dire global picture, which the UK's largest homewares retailer, Dunelm, hopes to change. 

It has partnered with The Salvation Army to launch an online textile takeback scheme aimed at reducing textile waste.

The initiative will allow customers to visit the company’s website to generate a free shipping label, choose a courier and select a convenient drop-off location for their used home textiles, accepting a variety of items including bedding, cushions, throws, blankets and unwanted clothing, regardless of the brand.

All collected textiles will be sent to The Salvation Army for resale or recycling, helping to minimise waste and extend the useful life of these items. 

Customers are encouraged to separate their textiles into ‘reusable’ and ‘non-reusable’ categories according to the provided guidelines.

“At Dunelm, our approach to sustainability is focused on being Good & Circular,” says Dunelm’s Head of Climate Change and Sustainability, Christina Downend. 

“We’re delighted to be partnering with The Salvation Army on this convenient solution so customers can help to reduce unnecessary waste whilst supporting the fantastic work being done across the UK for people in need.”

The mechanical recycling of popular textile blends and scaling up reuse and next-generation recycling capacity prove particularly challenging in the industry, meaning only 620,000 tonnes of used textiles are collected every year for reuse and recycling in the UK.

What can supply chain leaders do?

Supply chain improvements are essential to addressing these challenges. 

These figures present opportunities to improve company recycling and reuse systems, reduce dependency on international markets and increase supply chain resilience. 

The Textile Recycling Association (TRA) has also urged the UK Government to implement its long-overdue Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. 

This scheme is essential to support processing plants nationwide operated by textile collectors and sorters, which are nearing full capacity. 

Implementing EPR would ensure that producers are accountable for the end-of-life impact of their products, encouraging the design of more sustainable textiles and the development of local recycling infrastructure. 

This would also bolster the domestic supply chain, creating a more self-sufficient recycling ecosystem.

Circular economy & emissions reduction 

Dunelm’s trial will also create a virtuous cycle whereby discarded textiles are not only diverted from landfill but also contribute to charity. 

The circular economy, which eliminates waste and maximises the use of resources, extends the lifecycle of products through design, repair, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling. 

This scheme reduces the need for new raw materials and minimises waste, creating a closed-loop system where materials remain in use. 

By promoting resource efficiency and sustainability, the circular economy reduces environmental impact, fosters economic growth and creates new business opportunities.

It encourages companies like Dunelm to prioritise sustainability and resource conservation in their supply chains, leading to a more resilient economy. 

The Salvation Army’s Head of Corporate Partnerships, Kirk Bradley, adds: “We are thrilled to introduce this new scheme to support Dunelm with their sustainability ambitions. 

“Online take-back schemes are one of the best ways to donate your unwanted items and we are excited to be able to offer this to Dunelm’s customers.” 

This online take-back scheme complements Dunelm’s existing store-based textile take-back programme, which operates in 175 stores and collects approximately 100 tonnes of textiles each month for reuse or recycling. 

These take-back programmes strengthen the supply chain by ensuring a steady inflow of materials for recycling and reuse, reducing reliance on other resources.

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