Member Spotlight: Textile Recycling International, the UK’s largest collector, sorter and redistributor of quality second-hand clothing
10/11/2025
Textile Recycling International (TRI) is the UK’s largest collector, sorter and redistributor of quality second-hand clothing. With four operational facilities covering the whole of the UK and Ireland, TRI processes around 400 million items of clothing every year – equivalent to more than 10 garments per UK household – ensuring that as many garments as possible are given a second life.
Leading the way in post-consumer textile recovery
What sets TRI apart is its unique UK-based collection, sorting and grading system. The company says that every single item collected through the UK’s largest network of clothing banks, charity partnerships and brand take-back schemes is handled with purpose.
Through its extensive reuse and recycling network, TRI ensures that almost every item collected is given a second life – primarily through global reuse markets in communities across Africa, Europe, Asia and South America – while a smaller proportion is recycled into new materials and products. Although only a modest share currently stays within the UK, domestic demand for quality second-hand clothing is growing in line with the broader shift towards circular and sustainable fashion.
Earlier this year, TRI launched a new automated collection and reporting system, offering real-time data for charity partners and local authorities. This digital platform provides detailed insights into collection volumes and material types, improving transparency and reliability.
“TRI is an excellent organisation comprising of companies with which Oxfam have had individual relationships with them all over many years, with exceptional success.
Just some of the services provided to us by TRI throughout the group have been,
- National Bank collections
- Shop textile collections
- Regional stand trailer provision
- Data provision to a very high standard
The coming together of all the regional companies to form the TRI group has ensured that the high standards that we require are upheld and consistent across all our activities Nationwide.
In today’s world of Environmental Ethics and Sustainability, TRI gives us the confidence that our excess textiles are handled in a professional, responsible and transparent manner.
Our relationship is one that we value highly.
At a broader level, these data insights contribute to a clearer understanding of the UK’s textile collection landscape – supporting discussions around textile Extended Producer Responsibility (tEPR) and helping reduce TRI’s operational carbon footprint.
In addition, all four of TRI’s operating companies hold Valpak’s Zero Waste to Landfill accreditation, with continuous improvement targets reviewed at every annual audit.”
Andrew Flintoff, National Transport and Logistics Manager (Recycling Hub), OXFAM GB
Investment and partnerships in global markets
TRI continuously refines its sorting and grading operations to meet the needs of both its suppliers and international customers. Buyers from Africa, Europe, Asia and South America submit detailed packing lists that are fulfilled to order with high-quality, wearable garments – typically shipped within two weeks.
Each TRI sorter is trained to exacting standards: if it’s not good enough to be worn in the UK, it’s not good enough to be exported.
TRI’s leadership team regularly travels to partner countries such as Ghana, engaging with government and industry stakeholders to turn dialogue into action and to identify opportunities for local reuse, repair and recycling initiatives.
Driving policy and innovation at home
Closer to home, TRI is playing an active role in shaping the UK’s transition towards a circular textile economy. Through Peter Page, Group Recycling and ESG Director, TRI collaborates closely with UKFT, WRAP and Defra to inform policy development and drive positive industry change.
As a key consortium member of the ACT UK project, TRI worked with Kirklees Council to test whether citizens could pre-sort unwanted clothing into rewearable and non-rewearable categories. The findings from this pilot contributed directly to the final ACT UK report (published August 2025), providing valuable data for future policy design.
Peter is also among the leading industry voices advocating for a UK textiles Extended Producer Responsibility (tEPR) scheme, modelled on proven European systems. The proposed eco-modulated approach would generate dedicated funding for textile collectors and recyclers to build much-needed domestic infrastructure – enabling the UK to handle the 759,000 tonnes of clothing currently sent to landfill or incineration each year.
Find out more about Textile Recycling International (TRI) on the links below.
TRI on being a member of UKFT:
“We’re proud to be one of the first quality reuse and recycling companies to join UKFT’s new membership sector,” said Peter Page. “It reflects our commitment to leading the drive towards textiles EPR in the UK. Now is the time to invest in UK-based fibre-to-fibre recycling, and as the country’s largest collector and sorter, TRI intends to lead the way.”
Not yet a UKFT member?