PAKTA aims to reduce textile waste in Gothenburg

The project Prevention of Municipal Textile Waste – PAKTA aims to engage and educate various target groups within the population of the City of Gothenburg so that they consume fashion and textile products in a more sustainable manner, which in turn will lead to a reduction in the amount of municipal textile waste.

Swedish municipalities have been responsible for the separate collection of textile waste since the beginning of 2025. They have also been tasked with informing citizens about the importance and climate benefits of responsible consumption and waste minimization. However, municipal waste management companies often lack the financial resources, access to the right settings, and scientific expertise regarding behavioral influence or the climate impacts of textile consumption and waste management.

This project will identify key population groups, secure access to settings where each group is most easily engaged, and develop messages and formats tailored to each group and location. The methods developed will be tested and evaluated in several different settings in the Gothenburg area, and the most successful ones will be compiled and disseminated to all Swedish municipalities for maximum impact.

The project is staffed by senior researchers in the fields of behavioral science and digital marketing, as well as the climate impacts of textile consumption and waste management. This is expected to bring about positive changes in the population’s habits regarding textile use and waste.

The project is led by IVL, and other participants include the City of Gothenburg’s Department of Recycling and Water, the University of Borås, and Projektinriktad Forskning och Utveckling i Göteborg AB.