The orange clothing containers found across Luxembourg will not disappear, but the organisation that has managed them for more than three decades is stepping back.
Kolping president Marie-Jeanne Brauch-Klein explained that income from the containers used to be split between subcontractors responsible for emptying and sorting the textiles and the association itself.
Since 2025, however, falling prices have meant that all proceeds have gone solely towards paying those subcontractors, leaving nothing for Kolping’s own activities, she said.
Brauch-Klein stressed that this income had been crucial for funding the association’s social projects in Luxembourg and abroad.
Around two thirds of the donated clothing was previously reused or redistributed within Luxembourg, while the remaining third supported partner organisations in project countries, including several initiatives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Under Luxembourg’s waste legislation, municipalities are formally responsible for managing textile waste. In practice, charities have long taken on this task voluntarily, using the proceeds to finance social work.
Alongside Kolping, more than 200 containers across the country are operated by the association Aide aux Enfants Handicapés et Défavorisés de Luxembourg, which has confirmed that it intends to continue its activities.
The president of the Association of Luxembourg Cities and Municipalities (Syvicol), Emile Eicher, said that for many years the textile market had been profitable enough to create a win-win situation: charities were able to generate income for social projects, while municipalities incurred no costs.
Another growing challenge has been misuse of the containers. John Daems, who manages collections in Feulen, explained that people increasingly dispose of waste that does not belong there, ranging from cushions filled with synthetic materials to toys and household items.
Daems said the threshold for what people consider acceptable to throw into clothing containers has dropped significantly. Many appear to believe, according to Daems, that all items will be redistributed to charities or children’s homes, even when they are unsuitable for textile recycling.
Kolping continued to manage the orange containers until 31 January. From 1 February onwards, responsibility has not yet been formally assigned, although at least two associations are said to be interested in taking over. The situation will need to be clarified quickly to ensure continuity of service.
Kolping itself will continue to operate as an organisation and will still organise clothing collections directly with municipalities. Its withdrawal concerns only the management of the orange containers, not the association’s broader social work.
