NEW YORK - An initiative between US-based non-profit organisation Goodwill Industries International and Accelerating Circularity has received US$1.2 million from the Walmart Foundation to develop skills, systems and infrastructure to transform unsellable textile donations into recycling feedstock.

Accelerating Circularity works with a number of brands, retailers, recycling innovators and non-profits on textile recycling trials in both North America and Europe as part of its mission to turn spent textiles into mainstream raw materials.

Social enterprise Goodwill will use the fresh tranche of funding to produce post-consumer textile feedstock that meets recyclers' specifications and to educate and train staff on sorting and feedstock preparation processes.

So far, 25 local Goodwill organisations from across the US and Canada are modeling and testing regional textile collaboration hubs with a view to replicating the programme across the Goodwill member network. It is also hoped that the recycling model can be adopted by other social enterprises.

Sarah Coulter, director of operations and special projects for Accelerating Circularity said: "This initiative with Goodwill Industries is an example of Accelerating Circularity’s unique role in creating new connections to mainstream the adoption of post-consumer textiles as raw materials.

“Accelerating Circularity has led the design and implementation of this programme, providing subject matter expertise, programme management, relationship building, and training and tools development at the participating Goodwill locations.”

Brittany Dickinson, director of sustainability at Goodwill Industries International added: "“Goodwill is focused on developing solutions for textiles that are scalable, circular, and traceable, and we see textile-to-textile recycling as a key pathway for donations that are unwearable and at their end of life.

"Establishing regional Goodwill collaborations for textile circularity supports Goodwill’s role as a critical player in the circular economy and aligns with our organizational sustainability strategy."

The Walmart Foundation is the charitable arm of the Walmart Group that works to tackle key social and environmental issues. In 2022, it provided more than $1.7 billion in cash and in-kind support charitable programmes.