Textile Expert Advice

We learnt the rag trade from the ground up

At TRA our experience grounds us and keeps us humble. We are committed to supporting textile and fashion ‘professionals-to-be’, sharing our Textile Expert Advice (TEA), to promote a culture of sustainability and innovation, and where end-of-life solutions are embedded in great design. But it doesn’t stop there! TRA are passionate about engaging children in their primary years, teaching future generations the ‘why and how’ of textile waste, sustainable fashion and a circular economy. We welcome students of all ages to our offices for ‘show and tell’, where we break it down and in simple terms, teach all things recycling, reuse and upcycling to help tackle textile waste.

Get your TEA from TRA

Primary & Secondary School Learning

TRA works with teachers and schools to facilitate education around the importance of textile recycling rather than throwing uniforms or clothing away.

Supporting Bee Healthy Stories delivering resources for teachers by teachers.

Textile Recyclers Australia-Education and Action

University & Tertiary Programs

TRA supports facilitators of university and tertiary programs of sustainability, social and waste stream services. In Sydney and Melbourne TRA offers site visits for students.

Panel & Expert Round Tables

With over thirty years experience in both fashion technology and industry knowledge TRA can provide holistic and commercial information to support the circular economy in textiles.

Textile Recycling FAQs

The main question we get asked, is what’s the difference between traditional waste streams and textile recycling? Well, a lot actually!

Traditional waste is disposed of in a skip bin, when full it is picked up and dumped into landfill. Recycling is quite different to this.

Textiles need to be identified by composition, contaminated garments are removed, then textiles are sorted into fibres and colour assortment. This is before they are cleaned, baled, shredded and spun back into yarn.

Recycling is a process. Outcomes include;

  • Recycled yarn for new textile products
  • Less stress on the environment, and virgin materials
  • Support of the circular economy
  • Waste becomes a resource

Our Partners

Working with educators & innovators to support textile sustainability