Recycle textiles, earn credits: Prague’s new challenge to residents

Residents of Prague now have the opportunity to recycle used textiles responsibly and earn rewards for their efforts through a new city initiative launched in April.

The city has installed 30 collection containers at selected waste sorting stations around Prague, marked with the municipal logo and designed uniformly to encourage textile recycling. These bins are regularly emptied and connected to a modern tracking system to monitor the flow of materials.

The program builds on a new legal requirement effective since January 2025, mandating municipalities to collect and recycle textile waste. Prague has expanded this obligation by introducing a digital tool called Eko-výzva, which allows citizens to earn credits when they deposit textile packages.

These credits can then be redeemed for discounts on sustainable clothing at the Genesis online store, a project partner. In the first month since the containers were placed in the city, more than six tons of used textiles were collected.

“Since January, municipalities are obligated to collect and recycle textile waste. We wanted to go further, so Prague introduced a smart textile sorting project,” said Jana Komrsková, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Climate Plan.

“Usable clothing is sent directly for reuse, and other textiles are prepared for recycling and further use in the textile industry. The entire process is made more attractive through discounts on sustainable fashion in our partner store.”

Textile waste remains a significant environmental challenge. In the European Union alone, over 5.8 million tons of textiles are discarded annually—about 11 kilograms per person. The fast fashion trend has led to a near doubling in global garment production since 2000, increasing textile waste. Additionally, producing a single cotton t-shirt consumes up to 2,700 liters of water.

“Prague is committed to reducing the amount of unused resources ending up in landfills or incinerators. Textile accounts for more than two percent of waste in our bins, yet it is a material often suitable for reuse,” Komrsková added.

Several organizations in Prague assist residents in avoiding unnecessary textile disposal by promoting reuse and donation. Often overlooked in climate discussions, the fashion industry contributes 8 to 10 percent of global carbon emissions—more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Recycling, upcycling, and mindful resource use are crucial to reducing this footprint.