The trial is part of ACT UK – a two-year project led by UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) to support the transition from the manual sorting of clothes and textiles that can’t be re-sold to an automated sorting and pre-processing system.
As part of the trial, customers can visit Dunelm.com to generate a free shipping label, choose a courier and select a convenient place to drop off their used home textiles. The scheme will accept anything from bedding, cushions, throws and blankets, as well as unwanted clothing.
All textiles from the scheme are then sent to the Salvation Army to be resold or recycled, helping to prevent unnecessary waste.
Christina Downend, head of climate change and sustainability at Dunelm, commented: “At Dunelm, our approach to sustainability is focused on being Good & Circular. This trial extends our existing takeback scheme, giving customers a digital option to send back their unwanted home textiles without the need to visit a store.”
‘Sustainability ambitions’
Kirk Bradley, head of corporate partnerships at The Salvation Army, added: “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.”
Adam Mansell, CEO at UKFT, said: “We need to act now to tackle the staggering amount of textile waste that ends up in landfill or incinerated each year. Through this trial, we’re aiming to encourage people to separate their items so that in future, unwanted home textiles can make their way to an automated sorting facility and then be recycled into new products here in the UK.”
The items do not have to be exclusively from Dunelm and can be from any brand. The profits received from the resale of items will be given to The Salvation Army to provide help for people in need, including survivors and potential victims of modern slavery, shelter for those experiencing homelessness and more.
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