At First-Ever Sustainability Summit, Goodwill® Unveils Results of Textile Circularity Pilot, Announces Traceability Study

Global Sustainability Leaders Join Goodwill Network in Washington DC to Explore Circularity Opportunities

WASHINGTON DC - As part of an ongoing effort to advance circularity, Goodwill Industries International (GII) conducted a two-year pilot project to develop skills, systems and infrastructure to aggregate, sort and prepare textiles for reuse and recycling across its network. The results of the $1.28 million textile circularity project, funded by the Walmart Foundation to transform unsellable textile donations into feedstock for textile recycling, were shared at the Goodwill Sustainability Summit. This two-day conference attracted private and nonprofit industry leaders, recyclers and researchers.

At the conference, Goodwill announced plans to conduct a traceability study, also funded by the Walmart Foundation, which will support a multi-stakeholder initiative to follow the global journey of secondhand textiles. The $2 million study will inform reuse and recycling strategies and help shape industry standards for traceability and product lifecycle stewardship.

The two studies align with the Goodwill network's goals of increasing waste diversion, improving accountability and transparency, maximizing the value of donations, and making a positive impact on communities around the world. Environmentally, reuse is the highest and best opportunity for secondhand items.

"Goodwill is leading the charge to solve a societal problem. No other nonprofit collector has explored solutions at this scale before," said Karla Magruder, president and founder of the nonprofit Accelerating Circularity. "The size and scale of the Goodwill network place it in a unique position to help pioneer solutions to the overproduction of textiles."

The first grant, the textile circularity research project, was launched in the summer of 2022 in partnership with Accelerating Circularity. The fiber composition of items at the end of their reusable lifespan was analyzed for use as high-value recycling feedstock. Approximately 60% of the material in the study was found to be suitable for existing recycling technologies, which included cotton, polyester and cotton/poly blends.

The pilot involved the creation of four regional textile hubs in Canada, Michigan, the Northeast and the Southeast, representing 25 local Goodwill organizations. The hubs sorted and graded post-retail textiles to identify reusable materials that could be resold and nonreusable textiles that would be used to create feedstock that meets recyclers' specifications.

As part of the grant, each of the four regional hubs developed business plans and advanced sortation models that can be replicated across the Goodwill network and adopted by other social enterprises for the advancement of textile circularity.

"We are working with a variety of partners to determine how Goodwill can best lead in the textile-to-textile recycling market and develop a number of pathways for goods to minimize waste and maximize value through reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling," said Steve Preston, GII president and CEO. "Eventually, Goodwill hopes to become a preferred partner of brands, retailers, technology companies, equipment providers, and government and non-governmental organizations."

Revenue from the sale of donated goods supports job training, job placement and other essential services for community members who face obstacles to employment. The value of every item donated to Goodwill stays in local communities. The organization is working on initiatives at the local, regional and international levels to develop additional revenue sources to fund the nonprofit's vital workforce programs and services.

"Goodwill is focused on developing solutions for textiles that are scalable, circular and traceable. We are committed to advancing textile circularity by ensuring that we preserve the highest value of every item entrusted to us for our planet, our communities and our people," said Brittany Dickinson, GII director of Sustainability.

The Goodwill network plays a critical role in powering the circular economy. The organization operates over 3,300 stores across the U.S. and Canada, with multiple retail channels to keep products in use and out of landfills. In 2023, Goodwill recovered the value of over 4.3 billion pounds of donated products, which supported the development of skills training, job placement, career advancement opportunities and other community-based services for more than 1.7 million people.

The Goodwill Sustainability Summit was held Aug. 15-16 in Washington, DC, bringing together sustainability experts and Goodwill leaders from across the globe. The conference was sponsored by Goodwill Industries International and Goodwill of Greater Washington (DC), Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Inc. (Baltimore, MD) and Goodwill of Delaware and Delaware County (Wilmington).

To find your local Goodwill store or donation center, visit www.goodwill.org/locator

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ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL

Goodwill works to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, building bridges to opportunity, and helping people in need reach their potential through learning and the power of work.

For more than 120 years, Goodwill® organizations across North America have helped people find jobs, support their families and feel the satisfaction that comes from working. There are 154 local Goodwill organizations that assist people through a variety of employment placement services, job training programs and other community-based services. Thousands of people receive employment and other human services through Goodwill, and in 2023, the organization helped more than 1.7 million people build skills, access resources and advance careers.

Goodwill sells donated items in more than 3,300 outlet and retail stores in the U.S. and Canada and online marketplaces. The revenue creates training programs and job placements to help people earn paychecks and build their careers.

For more information or to find a Goodwill location near you, visit goodwill.org. Follow us on X/Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube: GoodwillIntl. Register for our Legislative Action Center via advocate.goodwill.org.

About Accelerating Circularity

Accelerating Circularity is an action-oriented nonprofit focused on textile-to-textile recycling at a commercial scale through a collaborative, stake-holder lead approach. Our mission is to catalyze new supply chains and new business models to turn spent textiles into mainstream raw materials.

About Walmart.org

Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By focusing where the business has unique strengths, Walmart.org works to tackle key social and environmental issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 24 countries, employs more than 2.2 million associates and does business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, advance equity, address hunger, build inclusive economic opportunity for people in supply chains, protect and restore nature, reduce waste and emissions, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit www.walmart.org or connect on Twitter @Walmartorg

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