Where Do Your Goods Go?
Australian Charities
A portion of what we collect goes to Charities / Opportunity Shops in Australia: Approximately 5% of what is collected meets retail quality here in Australia. The clothes and homewares that remain in the country are sold / donated to provide a source of income for charities.
Exports
The remaining product this is provided to us by our charity partners is exported overseas to our socially and environmentally responsible partner sorting facilities for further sorting to take place. Allowing for global distribution of quality garments, upcycling as well as downcycling. It is imperative we embrace the notion of a circular economy and continue to develop new ways to do so.
At RCA, we ensure that every item we receive from our charity partners is utilised to its fullest potential. Items that are exported overseas to our carefully selected sorting partner facilities. These facilities not only prioritise social and environmental responsibility but also specialise in further sorting the garments.
By leveraging these partner sorting facilities, we enable the global distribution of the high-quality clothing and also focus on both upcycling and downcycling, contributing to the principles of a circular economy. Embracing this concept is crucial to us, and we constantly strive to develop innovative approaches to support this progression.
Join us in our commitment to a sustainable future, where every garment is given a new life, making a positive impact on both local and global communities.
Global Distribution
Markets have been identified across the globe where there is a demand for the items we no longer need or are not resalable in Australia. From the total amount exported to the processing facilities, an average of 70% of our exported goods meet quality standards and are appropriate for reuse (that is to be distributed, sold, and re-worn).
These goods are sorted into subcategories and exported to developing countries.
Downcycling / Upcycling
Approximately 25% of the total product is deemed to be unwearable and does not meet the required standard for export. These items are sent to the cutting facility to be recycled and repurposed to industrial cleaning cloths.
RCA is associated with one of Australia’s largest wholesale suppliers of Industrial Cleaning Cloths. Each month the operations department exports of bespoke-cut industrial cloths across the globe. In addition to the preparation of cleaning cloths, product that is deemed unusable but has upcycling potential i.e. wool, is exported to India where it is broken down and ‘upcycled’ in order to make new articles of clothing or goods are sent to a nearby facility and made into quilts.
The Waste
The remaining 5% of exported items that could not be reused or recycled are collected by industry leaders in sustainability and waste management where the items are converted from waste to alternate biofuels.
