NuCollect: The Collection System of the Future for Used Textiles
October 15, 2026
Through the NuCollect project, the Augsburg Institute for Textile Technology (ITA), the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences (THA), and other partners are developing a new concept for the collection and pre-sorting of used textiles. The goal is to improve the recyclability of textiles and lay the groundwork for a functioning circular economy for textiles.
The starting point is the increasing volume of discarded clothing and home textiles in Germany, of which only a small proportion has been recycled to date. Since textiles are often collected unsorted, contamination and mixed materials make high-quality recycling difficult. At the same time, the requirement for separate collection of used textiles—which takes effect in 2025—increases the need for new solutions.
NuCollect therefore focuses on pre-sorting at the household level. Citizens are encouraged to categorize their used textiles as reusable, recyclable, or residual waste. Additionally, material types, colors, and textile structures are taken into account to enable more targeted further processing.
The ITA’s Recycling Atelier contributes its expertise in the areas of the textile circular economy and recycling technologies. The THA is participating through the CirTex innovation community, which aims to promote closed-loop fabric cycles and a sustainable textile industry.
A key feature of the project is its participatory approach: citizens, municipalities, and stakeholders from the collection and waste management sectors are actively involved. Through sorting workshops and digital tools such as the “Textile Check,” new solutions are jointly tested and further developed.
In the long term, NuCollect aims to improve the quality of collected used textiles, increase recycling rates, and enhance the supply of high-quality secondary raw materials to the industry. In this way, the project makes an important contribution to a sustainable and economically viable circular textile economy in Germany.