Africa Collect Textiles

Africa Collect Textiles

Circular Economy

Kenya

Pioneers in textile recycling, turning used uniforms into backpacks, old jeans into carpets, and create discarded fabrics into furniture filling.

The Challenge

Textile Waste: A Growing Crisis

The fashion industry is a major contributor to climate change and faces a significant waste problem. Less than 1% of all textiles produced are recycled, leading to the loss of approximately 60 billion kilograms of textiles and footwear each year through burning or landfilling. This waste translates to a value loss of over USD 500 billion due to under-utilized clothes and the lack of collection and recycling infrastructure.

The Innovation

Transforming Textile Waste

Africa Collect Textiles Ltd (ACT) is a pioneer in the textile circular economy in Kenya. They collect, sort, recycle, upsell, and resell used textiles and footwear. Their holistic approach not only aims to provide low-income communities with decent and affordable outfits but also lays the foundation for a circular fashion industry. By diverting textile waste from landfills and implementing sustainable practices, ACT strives to support the environment while generating employment opportunities.

What Makes It Stand Out

Why ACT?

ACT sees beauty and opportunity where others see problems and waste. Guard uniforms are a case in point: rather than throw them away, security firms burn tens of thousands of discarded uniforms every year so no one can take an old uniform and impersonate a guard. Until ACT came, offered to take up old uniforms and upcycle them into backpacks and tote bags. Rarely has a problem been solved so beautifully.

Impact

Where the change happens

Economic

  • Sustainable income through green jobs in local production

  • Securing and benefiting from the value of textiles through recycling

  • Incentive model for collection partners and their charities

Climate

  • Reduction of textile waste being landfilled

  • Prevention of CO2 emissions from burning textiles

  • Development and promotion of a resource-efficient circular economy

  • Reduction of the overall need of textiles by recycling and upcycling textiles

PEOPLE

Meet the

founders

Alex Musembi

Co-Founder & GM

Alex serves as the General Manager for ACT in Nairobi. He is an entrepreneur with experience in trading textiles and hospital consumables. Alex is also the Board Secretary of the Knitting Project Foundation and previously worked as a project officer for KICI projects in Kenya. He holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resource Management from the University of Nairobi and has been recognized for his contributions to ACT through a cash prize won at a pitch contest hosted by the E4Impact Incubator in Kenya.

Alex Musembi

Co-Founder & GM

Alex serves as the General Manager for ACT in Nairobi. He is an entrepreneur with experience in trading textiles and hospital consumables. Alex is also the Board Secretary of the Knitting Project Foundation and previously worked as a project officer for KICI projects in Kenya. He holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resource Management from the University of Nairobi and has been recognized for his contributions to ACT through a cash prize won at a pitch contest hosted by the E4Impact Incubator in Kenya.

Alex Musembi

Co-Founder & GM

Alex serves as the General Manager for ACT in Nairobi. He is an entrepreneur with experience in trading textiles and hospital consumables. Alex is also the Board Secretary of the Knitting Project Foundation and previously worked as a project officer for KICI projects in Kenya. He holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resource Management from the University of Nairobi and has been recognized for his contributions to ACT through a cash prize won at a pitch contest hosted by the E4Impact Incubator in Kenya.

Elmar Stroomer

Co-Founder

Elmar completed his Master's in Strategic Product Design at the Technical University of Delft in 2007. He has a strong background in product development and has collaborated on various textile sorting and recycling projects with institutions such as TUDelft, ENVIU, and KICI (now Sympany). Elmar spent several years in Kenya and Uganda from 2012 to 2017, establishing ACT and a design office for Design without Borders. He later worked for design studio REGGS, managing clients such as Heineken and AMD. In 2018, Elmar received the Circular Design Award from Rabobank and Desko for his innovative work in creating a 3D woven chaise longue from recycled denim.

Elmar Stroomer

Co-Founder

Elmar completed his Master's in Strategic Product Design at the Technical University of Delft in 2007. He has a strong background in product development and has collaborated on various textile sorting and recycling projects with institutions such as TUDelft, ENVIU, and KICI (now Sympany). Elmar spent several years in Kenya and Uganda from 2012 to 2017, establishing ACT and a design office for Design without Borders. He later worked for design studio REGGS, managing clients such as Heineken and AMD. In 2018, Elmar received the Circular Design Award from Rabobank and Desko for his innovative work in creating a 3D woven chaise longue from recycled denim.

Elmar Stroomer

Co-Founder

Elmar completed his Master's in Strategic Product Design at the Technical University of Delft in 2007. He has a strong background in product development and has collaborated on various textile sorting and recycling projects with institutions such as TUDelft, ENVIU, and KICI (now Sympany). Elmar spent several years in Kenya and Uganda from 2012 to 2017, establishing ACT and a design office for Design without Borders. He later worked for design studio REGGS, managing clients such as Heineken and AMD. In 2018, Elmar received the Circular Design Award from Rabobank and Desko for his innovative work in creating a 3D woven chaise longue from recycled denim.

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