For the first time in a long time, indicators in the German waste textiles market appear to be suggesting a "very slight recovery trend". Collection and sorting firms report the market has bottomed out. Players say there is now a minimal level of planning certainty again and they "feel like they have a bit more control over the business".
In general, the very high inventory levels of original collected stock at both collection and sorting firms have fallen – and significantly in some cases – since mid-December and the turn of year. However, this is a typical trend for the time of year which is primarily due to the long stretch of cold weather, industry insiders agree.
During this crisis, players estimate that up to 30 per cent, and some speculate even up to 40 per cent, of all waste textile collection containers across Germany have been removed, though there are regional variations. The fate of the remaining bring banks may also depend on whether local authorities are willing to make concessions. Without payments from the local authorities it is impossible to maintain a collection network, said one private collector. A representative of a charitable organisation commented that cost-covering collections would no longer be possible.
Sales of sorted clothing are "limping along" or stable at a low level and "sorted goods can be sold", according to sorting firms.
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