TRUST sets benchmark for global textile reuse standards and urges further progress on exports
A new international benchmarking report from the TRUST Forum finds that its UK standard compares strongly with textile reuse assurance across Europe, Australia and North America, while warning that the sector cannot afford to stand still as expectations around quality and accountability continue to rise and markets struggle.
Developed by UK charity retailers representing more than 3000 shops TRUST provides independent assurance over traders’ legal compliance, health and safety, fair employment practices and environmental responsibility. It currently certifies 33 companies that buy unsold stock from charity shops.
The report, Standards Without Borders, draws on input from 28 organisations across the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada, Ghana and Kenya, including charities, reuse networks, Producer Responsibility Organisations, recyclers, standards bodies and policy specialists.
With global reuse markets under severe pressure, and more textiles entering the system, an increased environmental footprint for fashion appears likely. Identifying how textiles Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) supports re-use and recycling in France and the Netherlands, the report argues for public funding towards collection, sorting, reuse, recycling, reporting and destination-market evidence, rather than simply rewarding higher collection tonnage targets or applying a narrow waste-management template.
David Roman, Chair of TRUST Forum and Sustainability Manager at British Heart Foundation, said: “Collection targets alone will not improve fashion’s environmental footprint. If we want genuine impact, we need better evidence on quality, market fit and what happens beyond borders. TRUST has a strong foundation in the UK charity sector, but the next phase must connect standards with practical downstream insight and future EPR design.”
Emily Cronin, Retail Development Manager at North London Hospice and TRUST Sprint Group member, said: “Charity retailers depend on public trust. Donors want to know their goods are being reused responsibly, not simply moved out of sight. This work gives the sector a practical route to strengthen assurance, protect reuse income and show that charity retail can be part of the solution.”
The report recommends better quality assurance, more consistent reporting, practical bale-level checks, and crucially direct destination-market feedback. It found that downstream visibility remains a major assurance gap across the sector globally, with full chain-of-custody traceability still rare once goods move beyond first commercial resale. TRUST is working with international partners towards a shared core standard for responsible reuse and export.