Mr Woods, who currently sits on the Textile Recycling Association (TRA) executive board, will take over from Ross Barry, whose three-year term at the helm of the trade association comes to an end in March 2015.
According to the TRA – which represents more than 40 UK used clothing and textile collectors, sorters and reprocessors – Mr Woods will look to steer the association into new developing areas in “what continues to be a difficult trading period”.
Mr Woods said: “I am honoured to be taking on this role. Despite the economic difficulties, there is lots of really important work going on to develop and secure the long term future of the industry.
“We look forward to continuing our work with WRAP and Zero Waste Scotland on the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan, and through the Bureau of International Recycling we will continue to push the textile recycling agenda at international level. This industry is in a position to make a significant contribution to the circular economic and carbon reduction targets and the Textile Recycling Association will be at the forefront of this.”
Outgoing president Mr Barry, director at London family-run textile recycler LMB, was promoted from TRA vice president in February 2012 (see letsrecycle.com story).
In his final report to the AGM, Mr Barry said: “From working with Ian for a number of years I know he is passionate about our industry and has the skills to steer a course for the Association to be seen as the respected authority on our industry.”
Mr Barry also recounted a story about how a business course lecturer “exclaimed that without a shadow of a doubt in the thirty years working with small and large businesses, ours was the most complicated and inherently risky he had ever seen”.
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AGM
According to the TRA, its recent AGM saw members express concerns “that the market showed no signs of turning and that prices could continue to fall”, as reflected in presentations on the state of the market given by Phil Geller of I&G Cohen and Lee Widdowson of Oxfam Watesavers.
The textile recovery market has been struggling recently due a number of factors, which were cited at the AGM, including “huge” depreciations of currencies in Africa and Eastern Europe and “significant” devaluation of the Euro against the Pound, making British exports more expensive while slowing down payments from abroad.
In addition, export of goods has been restricted across the likes of Ukraine and Sub-Saharan Africa due to civil unrest and the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus respectively.
TRA said members also highlighted the increasing downward pressure on prices in key markets, where used clothing competes with imports of “cheap new clothing” from China, which is resulting in an oversupply of clothing.
Insurance
Textile recyclers have also been experiencing difficulties with obtaining insurance “at realistic prices”, the TRA said.
Tim Rogers from Direct Insurance provided the AGM with an overview of the current situation in the insurance market and suggested that textile recyclers “should put their priorities in asset protection” in order to reduce risk and make sure the terms of their policies are fit for purpose.
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