Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of post-consumer textiles collected in the UK is (a) processed domestically and (b) exported (i) in total and (ii) of material categorised as unsellable.

While the department does not hold internal estimates on the proportion of post-consumer textiles processed domestically, exported, and respective proportions deemed unsellable, industry partners provide some insight. WRAP estimates that the UK generated approximately 1.453 million tonnes of post-consumer textiles in 2022. Of this,1.032m tonnes (71%) was processed or resold domestically, while 421,000 tonnes (29%) was exported. Of the 1.032m tonnes processed domestically, 276,000 tonnes (26.7%) was estimated to be resold to the UK public, and 759,000 tonnes (73.5%) was estimated to be sent to end of life (percentages do not sum to 100%. This is due to double counting where there is uncertainty). Of the 421,000 tonnes of exported post-consumer textiles, while the proportion categorised as unsellable is not disclosed, 99% were categorised as worn clothing, while 1% was categorised as rags.