Newcomer ERP Netherlands signs first contracts with partners

European Recycling Platform commits to circular textile chain together with partners like Erdotex and Wolkat

Amsterdam, Thursday, January 30 –Producer responsibility organization (PRO), European Recycling Platform (ERP) Netherlands has started the year strongly by signing contracts with several textile collectors, sorting companies, and recycling firms such as Erdotex, Wolkat and Second Life Textiles. Additionally, the company is in discussions with more partners, including various industry organisations and municipalities. ERP Netherlands aims to become a key player in the recycling sector and make a significant contribution to the circular textile chain.

Together with its new partners, ERP looks forward to 2025, with the primary goal of fulfilling the extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations of its clients.

Managing Director Tjaco Twigt is very optimistic: “We have been active in the Netherlands since 2023, and we have already grown into a substantial player with a portfolio of over 85 large and small textile producers and a growing market share of 17%. Additionally, we are building a high-quality and reliable network of partners, including textile collection, sorting, and recycling companies such as Erdotex, Wolkat and Second Life Textiles.”

Beyond making the supply chain more circular by collecting, reusing, and recycling textiles for its clients, ERP is also launching campaigns with partners to raise public awareness about the importance of proper textile collection. The company will also focus on promoting the purchase of second-hand clothing.

Twigt explains: “We believe that EPR—executed by multiple PROs—is a proven system to organize reuse and recycling. By collaborating with multiple PROs, we are collectively building a future with a circular textile chain. We need to work together.”

A concrete action plan for businesses

ERP identifies several challenges in the textile chain that it aims to help solve. The sector is currently facing major difficulties, such as the decline in demand for second-hand clothing in Eastern Europe and Africa.

Twigt outlines the dilemma: “Where should all this clothing go? The industry is increasingly in crisis while the government is imposing stricter regulations. To overcome this, some key aspects must change.”

ERP Netherlands prioritizes working with partners to address the following challenges:

1. Improving textile collection efforts.
2. Increasing the sale of second-hand clothing in the Netherlands.
3. Enhancing the sorting and monitoring of exported textiles.
4. Automating sorting processes and improving sorting for both reuse and recycling.
5. Rapidly increasing the quality and scale of fibre-to-fibre recycling.

In the coming years, ERP is committed to making a substantial contribution to addressing these challenges and creating a more circular textile chain in the Netherlands.

Twigt adds: “We are also part of a large international organization, Landbell Group, which has the ambition, experience and scale to work towards a circular textile chain in more countries around the world.”

Textile collectors, sorting companies, recycling firms, industry organizations, and municipalities can request more information or partner with European Recycling Platform.

About ERP

European Recycling Platform (ERP) Netherlands is one of three organizations responsible for executing the EPR Textile initiative for producers bringing textiles to the Dutch market. In a short period, ERP has become a significant player working diligently to make the Dutch textile chain more circular.

They collaborate with partners such as Erdotex, Wolkat, and Second Life Textiles, and others in the supply chain. This makes compliance with extended producer responsibility (EPR) simple and hassle-free for their clients.

ERP is part of Landbell Group, which serves over 37,000 customers across 61 countries. The group specializes in reuse, recycling, and compliance services, boasting the most experience and expertise in EPR worldwide. It currently operates 43 producer responsibility organizations (PROs) in 18 countries.

Key Facts and Figures – ERP Netherlands:

• 86 clients
• Representing 39 kilotons of textiles
• 17% market share (based on data from RWS)
• ERP’s partners process municipal textiles for more than 6 million Dutch citizens

It is not only about recycling processes and compliance, it is also about networking. ERP Netherlands shares knowledge, insights, and news so that together we can promote the sustainable agenda.