How To Make Recycled Clothes Healthier And More Standardized

Every season, some old clothes in the wardrobe will be "broken". How to deal with a large number of obsolete old clothes? What problems does the used clothing recycling industry face?

　　 Old clothes should be properly disposed

According to the statistics of China Association for Comprehensive Utilization of Resources, it is estimated that by 2030, the number of discarded old clothes in China will rise to 50 million tons every year, and the average person will eliminate 16 pieces of old clothes every year.

How will these waste clothes be disposed of? It is understood that today's clothes are usually made of cotton, linen, chemical fiber and other fabrics. In addition to cotton, linen can be degraded in the natural environment, chemical fiber and other fabrics are not easy to degrade in the natural state. If burned or landfilled, it will not only occupy resources, but also easily cause secondary pollution. For example, the natural degradation of nylon materials takes 30 to 40 years, and a large number of greenhouse gases and harmful gases will be produced in the process of degradation.

However, if recycled, each kilogram of waste textiles can reduce 3.6 kg of carbon dioxide emissions, save 6000 liters of water, and reduce the use of 0.3 kg of fertilizer and 0.2 kg of pesticide. According to the estimation of China Textile Industry Federation, assuming that all waste textiles in China are recycled, it is equivalent to saving 24 million tons of crude oil every year, reducing 80 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and saving nearly one-third of the cotton planting area. In addition, in addition to being reused as clothing, old clothes can also be used as new materials after treatment, such as interior materials for making cars or building materials, fillers for plush toys, raw materials for paper industry, etc., and some other products that can be transformed into equivalent materials, such as wipes, slippers, insoles, etc.

It can be seen that old clothes can become an important resource if properly handled, and environmental hazards if improperly handled.

Promoting the circulation of used clothes and prolonging the service life of used clothes are the full embodiment of the concept of resource conservation and meet the requirements of green life, low-carbon consumption and the development of a civilized society. Relevant experts said that building a "waste free city" has become the development goal of more and more cities, and the comprehensive utilization of waste textiles will play an important role in the reduction and recycling of "waste free city".

　　 Where are the recycled clothes

The recycling of used clothes can reduce the pollution of waste to the environment, and save industrial raw materials. It has important economic and social benefits, and is receiving more and more attention.

　　 "In recent years, under the advocacy of government departments, a large number of used clothing recycling companies have emerged. Their source of goods mainly comes from urban residents, and the collection method is mainly free or low price, and the digestion method is mainly donation, export and reuse as resources. The amount of recycled clothing that can be sold for the second time accounts for about 35% of the total amount of recycled clothing, with an economic value of 15 billion to 18 billion yuan, of which summer clothing About 15%, autumn and winter clothing about 20%. " Yang Yinghong, secretary-general of the Clothing Extension Working Committee of the China Used Goods Association, said.

In order to better recycle old clothes, the Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Recycling of Waste Textiles jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology last year proposed that by 2025, China's waste textile recycling system will be initially established, and the recycling capacity will be significantly improved, with the recycling rate of waste textiles reaching 25%, The output of recycled fiber from waste textiles reached 2 million tons. By 2030, a relatively complete recycling system of waste textiles will be established. Producers and consumers' awareness of recycling will be significantly improved, high-value utilization ways will continue to expand, and the level of industrial development will be significantly improved. The recycling rate of waste textiles will reach 30%, and the recycled fiber output of waste textiles will reach 3 million tons.

Yan Miao, deputy secretary-general of the China Used Goods Association, told reporters that there are two main modes of the used clothing recycling: online and offline. The online mode is that the residents contact the recycler through the network application software, and the recycler entrusts the express logistics enterprise to pick up and transport the used clothes on the doorstep, and then deliver them to the designated enterprise. Offline recycling is mainly carried out by placing collection (recycling) boxes in party and government organs, enterprises and institutions, schools and hospitals, and residential areas.

Yan Miao introduced that at present, the recycled old clothes in China mainly flow to the field of renewable resources, export and domestic circulation. Spring, autumn and winter clothes with good quality, brand and fashion old clothes are more circulating in China. General summer clothing, winter clothing, shoes, bags, home textiles and bedding are mainly exported, and the export volume to Africa ranks first. Southeast Asia and South America also have some households entering South Asia and the Middle East. Other used clothes that are not suitable or can not be circulated enter the field of renewable resources and are processed by physical or chemical methods for resource utilization.

Guo Song, executive director of Guangzhou Gretzer Renewable Resources Co., Ltd., said that every piece of old clothes will be properly handled after entering the company, and clothes that do not have the function of normal wear also have a broad application scenario. The back-end industry can be reduced to raw materials for manufacturing new clothes according to different materials, and can also be made into industrial products such as automobile sound insulation cotton, building materials, plates, or vegetable greenhouse insulation quilts, becoming an important facility for green low-carbon agriculture.

　　 Industry development to be standardized

With the strengthening of the concept of environmental protection, more and more people are aware of the significance of reusing old clothes for environmental protection and sustainable development. However, there are still many difficulties to truly realize the recycling of old clothes.

According to the existing data, China will produce about ten million tons of "fashion garbage" every year. If the resale price is 5000 yuan/ton, 10 million tons of old clothes will be resold, which will generate an annual sales volume of 50 billion yuan, and the market space is huge.

"The environment of China's second-hand clothing circulation market is different from that of foreign countries. In foreign countries, the second-hand clothing market is mature, and buying second-hand clothes is also a mature and rational way of consumption. At present, China's second-hand clothing circulation has not been fully valued." Yang Yinghong said that China's second-hand clothing secondary sales have not yet formed a large-scale market, mainly by small stores Floor stall or online form. The business operators are mainly individuals, and the business varieties are mainly spring, autumn and winter clothing, brand and fashion clothing.

Guo Song told the reporter that the threshold of the current waste textile industry is low, and there are fewer formal enterprises. Small workshops reduce costs by reducing standardized site investment, avoiding labor and health protection responsibilities, evading taxes and other unconventional ways, and even pass inferior products off as high-quality ones in business, launching malicious competition, and squeezing the business space of formal enterprises.

"Under such competitive pressure, the industry may have the phenomenon of bad money driving out good money." In Guo Song's view, the non-standard operation of small workshops has brought serious security risks, environmental pollution and tax losses. At the same time, small workshops are too scattered, which is not conducive to intensive and large-scale operation, nor to effective supervision by relevant departments.

The Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Promotion of Recycling of Waste Textiles has determined to promote green design of textiles, encourage the use of green fibers, strengthen the social responsibility of textile producers, improve the recycling network, broaden recycling channels, strengthen recycling management, standardize recycling, and promote the development of recycling industry from three aspects of production, recycling, and comprehensive utilization The implementation of standard clothing focuses on breaking through 9 specific measures. At the same time, it is proposed that efforts should be made to break through the blocking points and pain points in the key links such as recycling, trading and circulation, fine sorting, and comprehensive utilization, and to strengthen support and guarantee in the aspects of standards and specifications, scientific and technological innovation, and policy support.

Yang Yinghong introduced that in order to advocate a green and low-carbon lifestyle and promote the standardized circulation of second-hand clothing, the Clothing Extension Working Committee of the China Used Goods Association proposed the Pilot Plan for Establishing a Green and Low Carbon Lifestyle Experience Shop for second-hand textiles and clothing and the Technical Specifications for the Circulation of second-hand textiles and clothing, Try to provide a standard, orderly and operable basis for the management of second-hand clothing.

Industry insiders call for strengthening publicity to improve people's awareness of the recycling and secondary sales of used clothes. At the same time, it is suggested that relevant departments issue relevant guidance, clarify the responsibilities of all parties, standardize the circulation order of used clothes, establish a traceability or identification system, strengthen industry supervision, support leading and backbone enterprises, and establish a benign and orderly commercial circulation model. (China Economic Network reporter Yang Xiufeng)

(Source: Economic Daily)