The textile industry is one of the world's most polluting. At RopaExport we are part of the solution: every garment we recover and export is one that does not end up in a landfill. It is not greenwashing, it is the reality of the circular economy in action.
According to the United Nations, the fashion industry generates between 8% and 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is the second most water-intensive industry in the world. Every year, millions of tonnes of clothing end up in landfills or incinerators, releasing methane and other polluting gases. Fast fashion has worsened the problem: more garments are produced, of lower quality, discarded in less time.
In this context, textile recovery and reuse is not an option: it is a necessity. Each kilo of clothing recovered for resale or recycling avoids the manufacture of a kilo of new clothing, with all the environmental impact that entails: cotton cultivation, dyes, transport, packaging. The textile circular economy is one of the most effective levers to reduce the fashion sector's environmental footprint.
The Directive (EU) 2025/1892 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 10 September 2025, establishes the obligation of Member States to implement separate collection systems for textile waste. From 1 January 2025, all European municipalities must have specific containers or systems for textiles and footwear. The directive also defines the bases of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for the textile sector and sets waste reduction targets.
This regulation has a direct impact on the second-hand clothing sector. On one hand, it increases the volume of raw material available for grading (more clothing collected = more recoverable clothing). On the other, it professionalizes the sector by requiring traceability and adequate treatment of textile waste. RopaExport fully complies with this directive and works with suppliers that also comply.
The RopaExport process is designed to maximize the use of each garment and minimize waste. It works in four phases:
Phase 1 · Collection: We work with vetted suppliers in the Valencia Region that collect clothing from municipal containers, NGO donations (Koopera, Humana, Cáritas) and textile overstock from companies. All raw material enters with documented traceability.
Phase 2 · Grading: At our Alcoy warehouse, experienced graders hand-separate each garment by grade, type, era and condition. Local expertise, inherited from five centuries of textile tradition, ensures each garment goes to the right channel.
Phase 3 · Resale: Garments in good condition (Vintage Cream, Vintage A, Vintage B, Cream, Grade A, Grade B) are packed and exported to wholesalers and shops in more than 15 European countries. Each garment gets a second life, avoiding new manufacturing.
Phase 4 · Recycling: Garments with moderate wear go to recycling companies in the Valencia Region (Alcocertex, Texlimca, Reciclatex) that transform them into recovered fibres, industrial rags or insulation material. Nothing is lost, everything is leveraged.
The Valencia Region is one of Europe's most dynamic circular textile hubs. The combination of centuries-old industrial tradition, proximity to key ports and public innovation commitment has generated a complete ecosystem covering the entire chain: from collection to transformation into new fibre.
Companies like Recover (Valencia), recognized by Textile Exchange for its recycled cotton, Alcocertex (Alcoy), manufacturer of recovered textile fibres, Texlimca, specialized in textile recycling, and Reciclatex (Valencian cooperative), are part of this ecosystem. The RESURGE project, promoted by Koopera with the support of the Valencian Innovation Agency, completes the picture with an applied innovation approach to reducing textile waste sent to landfill.
According to RESURGE project data, each ton of recovered clothing avoids the emission of several tonnes of CO₂ equivalent and saves thousands of litres of water. RopaExport processes more than 300 tonnes per month, meaning a measurable and verifiable positive environmental impact. These data are not optimistic estimates: they are the direct result of applying the circular economy at industrial scale.
No greenwashing: measurable data, transparent processes and sector certifications. Write us and we tell you how we can help reduce your textile business's environmental impact.
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