Australian apparel retailer Lowes has processed and recycled seven tonnes of old schoolwear through textile recovery organisation BlockTexx.
According to the brand’s Modern Slavery Statement 2023, Lowes committed nine tonnes of obsolete product to BlockTexx this year. Lowes confirmed 85% of its schoolwear items contain polyester cotton, which were deemed fit for resource, recycling and re-raw material handling.
Lowes head of product development and procurement manager Debra Vo has also reviewed the design and development process to prioritise highly recyclable materials. The first iteration looked at substituting nylon buttons for polyester buttons, with negotiations underway for sublimated polos to use recycled ranges moving forward.
BlockTexx owns proprietary technology that separates polyester and cotton materials such as clothes, sheets and towels of any colour of condition back into high-value raw materials of PET and Cellulose for reuse as new products across all industries.
According to Lowes’ statement, the brand is aiming to reduce resource waste associated with its schoolwear.
“Through this sustainable approach, Lowes is not only minimizing the environmental impact of discarded school uniforms but also promoting a circular economy by ensuring the resources are given a second life.”
Lowes is a family-owned apparel brand that operates 180 stores across Australia and has apparel contracts with 727 schools in the country. The company's annual turnover ranges between $230 million to $260 million with on average six million transactions per year.