Ann Runnel

CEO of Reverse Resources

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

While there’s too much waste, recyclers who could turn #textilewaste back to new textiles, can’t access what they need - large volume of same waste, sorted by fibre composition. But garment factories say it’s not their problem, waste traders can take it. How to solve the puzzle?

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

While there’s too much waste, recyclers who could turn #textilewaste back to new textiles, can’t access what they need - large volume of same waste, sorted by fibre composition. But garment factories say it’s not their problem, waste traders can take it. How to solve the puzzle?

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

@lrsourcing Yes, we've been working in Morocco as well. So if you need traceability, we can help you out.

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

With too much #textilewaste on one side and the emerging recycling industry on the other, question is how does which waste reach the best recycling. If the supply chains aren’t there or efficient enough then recycling can’t scale. #wastehandling sector is the key!

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

@ASamdanee Haven't been there for a while personally, but our team is there

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

@ASamdanee But the other side of the same topic - when you can’t trace the #textilewaste, you also can’t know what part of it gets used and how and some part of it (for many reasons) ends up in such landfills or incineration.

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

While there’s too much waste, recyclers who could turn #textilewaste back to new textiles, can’t access what they need - large volume of same waste, sorted by fibre composition. But garment factories say it’s not their problem, waste traders can take it. How to solve the puzzle?

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

@ASamdanee Yes, exactly! This is one of the myths here in Europe that fabric becomes instant waste when you can’t use it, but in countries like BD there is actually a huge market for it for many use cases. So it’s important to think twice before you call something waste.

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

A lady in the morning hanging laundry to dry while the bags of #textilewaste that has been delivered as fuel for the stove for cooking has fell apart next to her. All textile waste has market value in Asia, question is how much of it finds a better use. #textilerecycling

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

Who’s going to do a new site: https://t.co/uOxn5NTBqV

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

#textilerecycling back to new textile can today be done in few ways. Most common is mechanical shredding #textilewaste to fibre and spinning it to yarns again. While the fibre length is now shorter, waste fibre needs to be mixed with virgin cotton or polyester for yarn strength.

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

Just to comment some more on this photo - I was amazed to realise that these ladies were sorting black from black. To my eye, everything looked the same, but they managed to differentiate 4-5 different shades while not having too much light in that warehouse.

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

Waste management traditionally operates by the brokering model - buy cheap, sell high. To protect their business, #textilewaste traders don’t want #transparency of where the waste came from or where it’s going to. It’s “making gold out of shit” - manually sorting the better bits

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

@freultwah Huvitav, kas on tehtud mingeid küsitlusi - kui palju on põhjuseks see, et inimesed ei usalda ühistransporti, sest pole sellega ise ammu sõitnud ja kuidas siis saab lapse sinna lubada, üksi ka veel. Oma hämminguks avastasin, et mu vanemad on aastate jooksul nii mõtlema hakanud.

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

I haven’t been to Bangladesh for a while, but I miss it indeed.

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

When I started visiting garment factories in China and Bangladesh in 2016, I was overwhelmed with how clothes are made - 200 lays of fabric getting sawn to pieces. You would’t normally pay attention to the bits that fall in the bin - not much waste, right? #circulartextiles

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

We know that our clothes, once worn out, end up landfilled or incinerated. But today the techologies for recycling >80% of any textile is already invented and some are scaling industrial production. What is missing is the supply chain to prepare the waste for #textile #recycling

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

“Do you believe in circular economy?” was a question asked from my team member last week. “It’s not the matter of faith - we are doing it!” was his reply. Indeed, most people need to “believe” because it’s so complex, systemic and early stage that it’s difficult to see evidence.

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

I’ve never really used Twitter, and in general, never spoken up much. But from now l’ll start making a post each day/week to share what I’ve learned on our 8-year journey of turning fashion industry circular and what circular economy really means ‘cause there’s so much to share.

[Mehak Masood @mehak8187]

#GlobalFashionSummit
Circularity is important and community are super interlinked.
It is critical all have to work together towards the goal of sustainable textile.
@ReverseResourcs @VestiaireCollec @GFAgenda

[Ann Runnel @annrunnel]

My father taught me since childhood that if you want to discuss something with a russian so that he’d listen, you need to start by yelling and attacking to gain his respect. I tried few times - it works! Anyone tried yelling at Putin?