Relais Est, a social integration co-operative, collects, sorts and recycles second-hand textiles with the aim of creating jobs for people facing social exclusion. It employs over 200 people, 40 per cent of whom are on work integration schemes.
Thanks to 1,680 collection points, 8,100 tonnes of textiles, household linen and shoes are collected each year in Alsace and Franche-Comté. Once sorted, the best items are resold at low prices in its 13 charity second-hand shops. Textiles that cannot be reused in France are reused in Africa and Eastern Europe. Worn clothing is cut into rags, shredded or converted into recycled fuel.
