Goodwill & Walmart: Circularity and Traceability in Textiles
Goodwill Industries International has announced it plans to conduct a groundbreaking US$2m traceability study funded by the Walmart Foundation.
The study aims to inform reuse and recycling strategies and help to shape industry standards for traceability and product lifecycle stewardship.
Karla Magruder, President and Founder of Accelerating Circularity, says: "Goodwill is leading the charge to solve a societal problem.
“No other nonprofit collector has explored solutions at this scale before.
“The size and scale of the Goodwill network place it in a unique position to help pioneer solutions to the overproduction of textiles."
Goodwill: empowering communities
Goodwill has been a cornerstone of community support for more than 120 years, focusing on enhancing the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families.
Through its extensive network of 154 local organisations across North America, Goodwill provides a range of services including employment placement, job training, and other community-based programs.
In 2023 alone, Goodwill assisted more than 1.7 million people in building skills, accessing resources, and advancing their careers.
The organisation's impact extends beyond individual support.
By selling donated items through more than 3,300 retail stores in the U.S. and Canada, as well as online marketplaces, Goodwill generates revenue to fund its training programs and job placements.
This model not only helps individuals earn paychecks and build careers but also contributes significantly to the circular economy.
Goodwill’s role in the circular economy
Goodwill plays a critical role in powering the circular economy through its extensive retail network and commitment to keeping products in use.
In 2023, the organisation recovered the value of over 4.3 billion pounds of donated products.
This massive effort not only diverts a substantial amount of goods from landfills but also supports the development of skills training, job placement, and career advancement opportunities.
By operating multiple retail channels, Goodwill ensures that donated items find new homes and continued use.
This approach not only extends the lifecycle of products but also reduces the demand for new production, thereby conserving resources and minimising waste.
Through its model of accepting donations, reselling items, and reinvesting proceeds into community programs, Goodwill demonstrates how organisations can successfully combine social mission with environmental sustainability, making a significant impact on both the lives of individuals and the health of the planet.
“We are working with a variety of partners to determine how Goodwill can best lead in the textile-to-textile recycling market and develop a number of pathways for goods to minimise waste and maximise value through reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling,” says Steve Preston, Goodwill President and CEO.
“Eventually, Goodwill hopes to become a preferred partner of brands, retailers, technology companies, equipment providers, and government and non-governmental organisations.”
Meet the Walmart Foundation
Walmart.org is the philanthropic arm of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation, dedicated to leveraging the company’s unique strengths to address critical social and environmental challenges.
By partnering with others, Walmart.org aims to drive meaningful, systemic change.
With operations in 24 countries, Walmart employs more than 2.2 million associates and collaborates with thousands of suppliers, who in turn provide jobs to millions more.
Walmart.org is committed to improving lives by supporting initiatives that promote upward mobility for frontline workers, enhance equity, fight hunger, create inclusive economic opportunities in supply chains, protect and restore the environment, reduce waste and emissions and strengthen the communities where Walmart operates.
Goodwill’s pilot with the Walmart Foundation
Before announcing this new study, Goodwill conducted a US$1.28m textile circulatory pilot also funded by the Walmart Foundation.
The pilot helped to develop skills, systems and infrastructure to aggregate, sort and prepare textiles for recycling and reuse.
“Goodwill is focused on developing solutions for textiles that are scalable, circular and traceable,” says Brittany Dickinson, Director of Sustainability at Goodwill.
“We are committed to advancing textile circularity by ensuring that we preserve the highest value of every item entrusted to us for our planet, our communities and our people.”
As part of this project, Goodwill created four regional textile hubs in Canada, Michigan, the Northeastern US and Southeastern US.
These hubs represented 25 local Goodwill organisations, sorting and grading post-retail textiles to identify materials that could be resold.
Non reusable textiles were used to create feedstock that meets the specifications of recyclers.
Each of these hubs developed business plans and advanced sorting models that can be replicated across the Goodwill network and adopted by other enterprises to advance textile circularity.
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