Store gives new life to old textiles

IKEA has launched a new scheme at its Cardiff store to encourage customers to recycle unwanted textiles and help the local community.

The first Ikea textile take-back initiative in the UK will give customers in Cardiff the chance to bring in any unwanted textiles purchased from any store – from clothing to soft furnishings – to be reused, repaired or recycled.

There will also be workshops in store showing customers how they can breathe new life into old textiles, or turn them into something new.

The pilot, supported by sustainability not-for-profit organisation WRAP, will see Ikea donate the textiles to the YMCA in Roath, Cardiff, for people in the local community, including the homeless and low-income families.

Each year, WRAP estimates the UK consumes 1.7 million tonnes of textiles, with almost a third (620,000 tonnes) ending up in landfill or incineration.

The YMCA will supply a constant flow of textile products to low-income households and charity shops in Wellfield Road, Albany Road and the new store in Colchester Avenue, with weekly collections from the Ikea store.

The YMCA will also provide training opportunities for those out of work in the Cardiff area.

Mandy Caddy, from the YMCA in Cardiff, said: “We are delighted to partner with Ikea Cardiff on the textile take-back scheme. This initiative not only diverts waste from landfill, but enables the YMCA to provide muchneeded items to people in the community.

“Donated items will also be sold at our charity shops, helping to generate income to support homeless services in Cardiff. What’s more, it will provide the homeless and unemployed with training opportunities in recycling and retail to help them find employment. It’s a win-win for the local community and the environment.”

The new scheme in Cardiff joins Ikea’s existing take-back services spanning sofas, batteries and light bulbs across all its stores in the UK and Ireland. Ikea will review the pilot in Cardiff and could roll it out nationally depending on customer feedback.

To support the pilot, Ikea and the YMCA are running a series of inspiring workshops, entitled Revive, Reclaim, Re-Love, Repeat at the Cardiff store, teaching customers how they can repair old textiles or turn them into new items. These workshops will run every Wednesday from 11am to 1pm, covering a variety of topics and are free to attend.

To donate textile products, customers can visit the customer returns area in Ikea Cardiff. To book on to the free workshops, visit www. Ikea.com/gb/en/store/cardiff/