The system for collecting used clothes in Italy is facing a crisis due to inferior quality items and changing consumer behavior.

Italy is facing a serious crisis in the used clothing collection system, according to the publication Il Post. Cooperatives and companies managing street containers are observing an increase in lower quality items made from materials such as polyester and viscose, which cannot be resold or recycled efficiently. This has led to financial losses, and many cooperatives have been forced to withdraw containers or change collection rules.

Another factor is consumer behavior, which resells quality items online, leaving the system with cheap and damaged clothes. In Milan, the value of collected clothing has decreased by 40%, and cooperatives are seeking financial support to avoid halting collection. In Naples, a single cooperative handles the entire city, facing difficulties in maintaining jobs for vulnerable individuals.

Although Italy has imposed separate collection of textile waste, this measure has led to increased volumes and costs, and many companies refuse non-recyclable clothing. Italy produces 905,000 tons of textile waste annually, with 725,000 tons ending up in unsorted waste. Operators are calling for the implementation of the extended producer responsibility directive, which would require clothing manufacturers to contribute financially to collection and recycling. Without the implementation of this directive, cooperatives risk operating at a loss and the collection system may collapse.