Textile collectors and recyclers from across the UK have launched a joint drive to try and eliminate ever-increasing levels of textile crime.

Clothing collector Clothes Aid, which has been monitoring a steady rise in thefts over the last two years, has formed a cross-sector working group to look at how donations of used clothes can be protected.

Made up of organisations including textile recyclers and charity shops, the group also includes the Textile Recycling Association and the Association of Charity Shops.

The forum has already begun sharing best practice techniques and lobbying government. It aims to eliminate textile crime in the UK following a massive surge in textile theft, driven by the high price of rag (see letsrecycle.com story).

At present, prices for rag have reached as much as £400 a tonne in some parts of the country, compared with an average of less than £200 in 2003.

The Association of Charity Shops is now predicting that its members alone have lost as much as £2.5 million in 2006 through textile crime.

Meanwhile, organisations such as Clothes Aid have predicted that some of their collectors may go out of business if the problem continues (see letsrecycle.com story).

Marie Chowdhry, project co-ordinator for collection protection at Clothes Aid, said: "The price of rag has stayed high for such a long time now that theft is becoming a national problem. Clothes aid initiated the meetings to tackle textile theft as a group. We are trying to share ideas and ways of reporting it to highlight that this is a massive issue. That way, we are hoping to make it a harder environment for these individuals to operate in."

Lobby

In the working group, members will log incidents of theft to build up a picture of the scale of the problem and lobby government and the police to take the issue more seriously.

In particular, it will petition the police to recognise textile theft as serious organised crime and to make it easier to bring prosecutions.

Ms Chowdhry said: "So far we have had 85 arrests but only two successful prosecutions. It is often difficult to prove in court that someone intended to take a bag which was not theirs and it was not by accident."

The Clothes Aid-initiated working group is already encouraging its members to make their collection bags clearly distinguishable and to write clear warnings on them to deter thieves.

Members will also urge Trading Standards to crack down on textile collectors who are use misleading leaflets to attract clothing donations - such as false promises they will be sent to the third world.

The next working group meeting is scheduled for July.

Ms Chowdhry said: "Clothes Aid wants to inform the public so they can make the best decision possible. There are quite a few ideas on the table and we are evaluating their successes and looking for the best way forward."