As part of the SorTex project, Vänersborg Municipality is conducting two different test runs for textile waste collection - both with a focus on finding solutions that both engage citizens and fit into everyday life.
As part of the SorTex project, Vänersborg Municipality is conducting two different test runs for textile waste collection - both with a focus on finding solutions that both engage citizens and fit into everyday life. The tests are carried out in collaboration with Vänersborgsbostäder AB and Cyclothe and will provide new knowledge about how textiles are best collected in both residential areas and via digital solutions.
Test 1: Collection in washrooms and recycling stations
In collaboration with the municipal housing company Vänersborgsbostäder AB, the municipality is testing textile waste collection in laundry rooms and environmental rooms in one of the city's densely populated residential areas. The aim is to investigate how best to communicate the message of proper textile collection to citizens.
The test starts in mid-May 2025 and lasts for one year. Collection will take place in locked containers with clear signage about what types of textiles can be handed in - and what they should be used for. Textiles are also collected from environmental rooms where an older type of waste chute still exists. As no organic waste is sorted in these buildings, there are no odors. The collection is handled continuously by Kretslopp och Vatten staff.
Test 2: Digital collection experiment with Cyclothe
The second test is carried out in collaboration with tech company Cyclothe and involves both city employees and citizens. It combines technology and textile collection via an app and specially designed collection boxes.
Two collection boxes are placed near the town hall in the center of Vänersborg. The test targets two groups: 100 municipal employees and 100 citizens. The employees are informed via the municipality's intranet, while the citizens are invited via social media and the municipality's website. Participants will receive a special collection bag and will be introduced to the app at an information meeting in August.
The test will launch on August 25, 2025 and run for one year.
Both test runs provide important insights into how we can design future collection solutions that are both efficient and easy to participate in. Vänersborg Municipality's efforts help make everyday-based collection a central part of the SorTex project's mission: to find sustainable and realistic solutions for future circular textile management.
