Decathlon Spain has taken the reins of Re-Viste, a pioneering organization that promotes the collection and management of textiles and footwear in Spain. This move comes as the organization undergoes a renewal of its Government Board, a process that occurs every two years. Decathlon Spain assumes the presidency, taking over from Mango, which played a crucial role in the association’s consolidation and development.
Other associates have also taken on new responsibilities within the Governing Board. Tendam will handle the Secretariat, while Sprinter/JD will oversee the Treasury. Meanwhile, Inditex will retain its position as vice president. According to Íñigo García, Sustainable Development Western Europe Director of Decathlon, “the sustainable management of textile waste is a priority for the industry, and from Re-Viste, we are committed to developing innovative and efficient solutions to face this challenge.”
Juan Ramón Meléndez, general director of Re-Viste, highlighted that the association is working on launching a pilot project this spring, aimed at developing a future textile waste management system. Since its founding in early 2023 by Decathlon, H&M, Ikea, Inditex, Kiabi, Mango, and Tendam, the association has grown to include new members such as El Corte Inglés, Sprinter/JD, and Primark. This expansion has solidified a collaborative ecosystem within the sector. In 2024, the Association adopted the name Re-Viste to operate as a voluntary scrap, and they are currently working on developing a pilot test to define the collection model and national treatment.
Pilot project for textile waste management
The pilot test, set to begin in spring 2025 and run for at least a year, will be conducted in six municipalities with diverse sociodemographic profiles: Zaragoza, Rubí, San Miguel de Abona, Trujillo, Titulcia, and Arbo. These locations will cover a total of over 300,000 inhabitants. The project’s primary objective is to evaluate the viability and efficiency of the textile waste collection and management system. To achieve this, various collection options will be implemented, including municipal clean points, containers on public roads, voluntary stores as collection points, and private locations like parishes and shopping centers.
The collected textile waste will be taken to selection plants, where reusable items will be separated from those to be recycled. Upon completion of the test, the success of the pilot project will be assessed to identify best practices and create a guide for recommendations to replicate the model in other municipalities.
