Inside Textile Collection and Sorting: A Regional View from Goodwill

Running a regional Goodwill operation gives you a ground-level view of textile collection and sorting. What does that look like day-to-day in your market?

Annually, millions of tons of textiles are disposed of in US landfills. Goodwill is working to create a textile circularity system where clothing, fabrics, and fibers are kept in use for as long as possible. This approach moves away from the traditional linear model of “take-make-dispose,” where we buy clothes, wear them, and then throw them away and/or donate. Instead, circularity focuses on reusing and recycling garments to minimize waste and reduce the environmental impact. The core idea is to see our post-retail textiles not as disposable items, but as valuable resources that can have multiple lives.

Goodwill Industries of Northwest NC is in the preliminary stages of developing the Mid Atlantic hub around product acquisition, textile disposition and non-textile disposition. This is a collaboration of the hub members providing insight, solutions, processing etc. with the goals of increasing donations, mitigating market share risks and improving stewardship of our products.

What are you seeing in terms of what people are donating to your stores? Are the volumes and types of textiles changing, and what's driving that?

We are experiencing a steady stream of donations at our stores and we continue to monitor the ebbs and flows of the type and quantity of donations.

You are participating in a panel at the show titled “Strategies and technologies for improving the collection and sorting of textile waste”. What are the biggest operational challenges you face in sorting at your facilities? What technologies or tools are you using, or wish you had access to, to improve your sorting and processing capabilities?

Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina is developing a pilot sorting and grading system for post-retail textiles. The equipment and process established will yield results for installing a larger scale operation. This pilot step is critical to developing the flow and equipment design for a larger installation.

Economic and Environmental Impact of the Beta Test Site. The proposed beta test site will serve as a cornerstone for economic revitalization and environmental stewardship. By maximizing textile reuse and pioneering innovative methods for processing textile waste, Goodwill will not only reduce the number of textiles going into landfill but also create a robust pipeline of opportunity generating jobs, fostering workforce development, and stimulating regional prosperity. A key feature of this beta test site is an AI-guided sorting line with the ability to grade post-consumer textiles and fiber, enabling these materials to re-enter the supply chain as reusable garments or viable raw inputs. This closed-loop approach is essential for building a resilient, circular economy and aligns with global sustainability goals. This initiative is more than a test facility; it is a catalyst for systemic change in how we view, use, and value textiles.

AI‑Guided Sorting and Grading Capabilities.  A key feature of this beta test site is the sorting and grading equipment using cameras paired with AI to scan clothing as it moves along a conveyor. The AI can identify material composition (cotton, polyester, wool, blends), color, condition, and construction type. Items in good condition can be graded for resale; worn items can be sent for industrial reuse or recycling. This will prioritize higher-value items vs. lower-value recycling streams.

How big is the contamination problem in textile donations? What percentage of what comes through your door is actually usable versus waste?

We are able to use the majority of the donations that come through our door, a small percentage comes to us that is soiled or wet.

How is Goodwill’s work in Northwest North Carolina different when compared with branches in other, more urbanised, regions further up the eastern coast? Do donation patterns, material quality, and market dynamics vary by region, and what does that mean for your operations?

Seasonality and geography does play a big role in the type of donations we receive throughout the US, there is also generally a difference between large metropolitan areas versus urban areas reflective of their communities.

How does textile recycling fit into Goodwill's broader mission in Northwest North Carolina? What does it mean for your community?

We are dedicated to a sustainable future through reuse, recycling and community impact. Our vision is to build a future where everyone belongs in the economy of tomorrow – where work, sustainability, and community are interwoven to create lasting impact for generations to come.

What's the business case for textile recycling at the regional level? Where are the margins, and where are the pain points?

The beta test will inform the business case, but the initial research suggests regional hubs lend themselves to economy of scale.

In your experience, what's the real constraint preventing textile recycling from scaling? Is it collection, sorting, technology, market demand, or something else entirely that people aren't focused on?

In my experience is it all these elements, we have to work together to develop a solution. This is larger than us individually.

What would need to change in policy, technology, or how the industry operates for regional operations like yours to scale textile recycling more effectively?

Collaboration and the collection of the willing working together for a common shared purpose that benefits everyone.

What are you hoping to accomplish or discover while attending and speaking at our expo?

Continued education and sharing of information, collaborating and opening up the dialogue to possibilities.