(NOMINACIJA ZA NAGRADU AUREA 2015): Women's Center Uzice - Recycling textile center

Women’s Center Uzice started innovation model of taking care of textile waste which comprises process from primary selection, recycling to placement of new products made of recycled waste at the market. It is based on the idea of using potential of recycling of waste textile and providing its economic valorization since waste textile is not used as raw material for recycling although it takes 4-6% in total utility waste. The project objective is to set up Recycling center for textile which will function as a social company with priority of hiring women from difficultly employable groups and which will be a successful model which can be implemented anywhere ein Serbia and region.

In the period since 2010 until today, infrastructure and technical pre-requisites were implemented for primary selection and textile donation (the first stage), as well as production of products made of recycled textile in textile gallantry product range which will be available the market in July (the second stage). In the next period, the priority of the center will be to circle the concept and generate conditions for production of recycled textile fiber from utility waste for industry of intact textile (the third stage) which is used in construction, footwear industry, automotive industry, furniture and for production which does not exist in Serbia while recycled fiber which is imported comes from industry and is a result of postindustrial waste.

There are different models of waste textile recycling not such as comprising process as this one in line with the technological features of waste textile which Women’s Center Uzice is developing.

With the usage of the recycled textile, preservation of natural resources is influenced, having in mid that textile production is ranked among extremely aggressive processes with high degree of hazardous gasses emission and large quantity of waste waters and landfills in most of the cases have difficulties in destroying it.

Production of recycled textile products in textile gallantry will enable hire of 10 women from vulnerable groups while production of recycled textile fiber will enable 22 hires more.

INNOVATION

The Project Through recycling of waste textile do sustainable solutions emerged within strengthening of women in the Women’s Center Uzice in 2010 with the idea to build sustainable economic models for hiring women from vulnerable groups as well as the result of recognized problems of local community for setting up of primary selection system and taking care of one kind of waste. Citizens did not know what to do with textile they no longer used while on the other hand, regional landfill in town which has just been established, had difficulties in collection and recycling method.

Women’s Center Uzice offered innovative, economically sustainable model – overall textile waste issue solving, in environmentally acceptable way, created in line with technological waste textile features.

Recycling potentials of this kind of waste have not been used in Serbia so far although in overall utility waste, textile takes 4-6%. The method landfills collect this kind of waste contaminates textile so it cannot be used for recycling but in most of the cases it is burnt in burning facilities which have a permit for that. On the other hand, it is raw material which has huge potential in recycling and it loses its economic value with the fact that it ends in burning facilities.

Recycling center of Women’s Center Uzice is set up in a way that it represents overall model of taking care of waste textile and comprises process from primary selection, recycling to placement of new products made of recycled waste at the market. The entire model was defined in 3 parts: textile which is usable and has functional features used for donation, category of slightly damaged goods used as raw material for production of recycled textile-made products in textile gallantry product range and the third stage with textile which completely lost its usable features and which is used for production of recycled textile fiber.

In the region and Europe, there are different models of waste textile recycling but not such as comprising process as this one in line with the technological features of waste textile which Women’s Center Uzice is developing.

Especially innovative part of the project is entrance to intact textile industry which is the field which is developing most and where innovations are of crucial importance. Recycling fiber as for now is not produced in Serbia and the one we use and Europe originates from the industry and is a result of postindustrial waste while recycled textile fiber in Uzice will be produced from utility waste for the first time in this region.

The first project stage was implemented in 2010. Private Sevojno-based company provided 100 m2 in the space of former textile plant "Cveta Dabic" and service for collection and donating of textile was set up and it has been still functioning.

The second stage implementation which was mainly conducted during 2014 has been implemented within the IPA Cross Border Cooperation program between Serbia and Montenegro in partnership with the National Employment Bureau in Uzice, Regional developmental agency Zlatibor, SOS phone for support to women and kids who are victims of violence Niksisc and the Employment Bureau Niksic.

Within it, infrastructure conditions for workshop for production of goods made of recycled textile in textile gallantry: space with additional 200m2 was adapted and provided by private company, 7 machines for work were procured and the workshop was equipped with adequate furniture. 20 women from vulnerable groups were trained for work, 10 of the most successful will get the chance to start working in ready-made industry. 2 containers for textile collection were also provides and IPSOS carried out market research for recycled textile market at the area of Serbia and Montenegro.

Product commercialization and mini confection will start working in July so that tender terms within IPA project that they cannot generate profit would be fulfilled and the center is using this time to meet the market, customers’ needs and target groups.

Business plan for production of recycled textile fibers was done. The start of the third stage implies infrastructural equipping, procurement of additional containers, space adaptation, procurement of vehicles and technological line for recycling which comprises three machines wherefrom recycled fiber is produced as final product which they would sell to the intact textile industry for production of different insulation kinds.

With the Recycling center idea, Women’s Center Uzice won at the National Innovation Competition held within the transnational Project innovation- Profis 2014 and as winners at the national level, they had a chance to present at the transnational competition of innovative ideas in Budapest in December 2014.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Through promotion of textile as recycling raw material, the Women’s center Uzice offered completely environmental model of waste textile issue solving. The way it is now treated in Uzice and the entire region is not environmental since recycling potentials are not used. The existing way of collection contaminates textile which is unusable as such so it is in most of the cases burnt in burning facilities which have permits for that. On the other hand, it is raw material which has great potential in recycling so with ending in burning facilities, it loses its economic value.

Through the usage of recycled textile, there is an influence on natural resources preservation, having in mind that textile production is ranked among extremely aggressive processes with high degree of hazardous gasses emission and large quantity of waste waters. Usage of 1/2kg of used wardrobe saves 26 kg CO2 on the average and the textile production takes 15 times less energy than for its burning. It is estimated that 30% of thrown-away textile can be used for reuse without additional processing.

The project of Women’s center Uzice attracted great interest of citizens which contributed to development and promotion of primary waste selection concept and this model can be used anywhere and it has already attracted great interest with other municipalities in Serbia and the region.

In the period from 2010 until today, a collection network where construction, institutions and schools participate has been formed. More than 18.500 pieces of used wardrobe and 60 tons of textile for recycling was donated and the service services are used in the Women’s center and 280 families with social needs are supplied with home textile.

Recycled center for textile will function as a social company, with priority of employing women from difficult employable groups. The start of recycled textile products production in textile gallantry, this summer 10 women from vulnerable groups will get job which will decrease pressure to the Center for social work and influence economic situation improvement in socially-endangered groups while production of recycled textile fiber will enable 22 new hires more.

Through textile recycling and recycled textile fibers production generates environment for development of wide range of recycled textile products. This way, customers are offered socially responsible product and the companies are provided with social responsibility option.

FINANCIAL POTENTIAL

Implementation of this project for Women’s Center Uzice enabled market penetration with recycled textile-made products in textile gallantry product range.

Market analysis conducted by IPSOS showed that the market does not offer adequate products made of recycled textile and product range which have the option to be launched in Serbia and region has been defined.

The analysis showed that textile gallantry is the most suitable for production and basic product features will comprise innovative design and uniqueness. Two markets have been identified: end consumers who want a new product line in standard product range of textile gallantry: bags, lap top accessorizes cosmetic bags, mobile bags and similar and institutions which will be offered a socially responsible product and for which different kinds of advertising promotional material would be developed.

Recycled textile-made products in textile gallantry product range will be sold online and cooperation with City cultural center and some already existing shops where they will present their products will be established.

Business plan for production of recycled textile fiber was also developed. Recycled fiber is an entry raw material for intact textile industry which is not produced at the level of the region and in Serbia, it has been imported already as for now. It is widely used in production of different kinds of heat and sound insulations as well as for different fillings, in construction, automotive industry, and furniture and footwear production.

Apart from that, recycling fiber which is now used both in our country and in Europe, originates from industry as postindustrial waste result while in Uzice production of textile fiber from communal waste will be carried out for the first time.

MPP Jedinstvo will provide additional 500 m2 to start production while it is necessary to set aside EUR 180.000 for necessary equipment procurement for which the Center is looking for a donor.

If the innovative model of taking care of textile waste developed by the Women’s Center Uzice is your favorite, you can vote at the official Aurea award website. .

Ženski centar Užice

eKapija.com Beograd

MPP Jedinstvo Sevojno a.d. Sevojno

RRA Zlatibor

Aurea

Aurea 2015

Recycling textile center

textile waste

textile waste recycling

textile waste usage

textile donation

textile gallantry production

recycled textile fiber production

textile fiber

textile fiber production

MPP Jedinstvo

National Employment Bureau in Uzice

Regional developmental agency Zlatibor

SOS phone for support to women and kids who are victims of violence Niksisc and the Employment Bureau Niksic

Profis 2014

Women Center Uzice – Recycling textile center