In the province of Cádiz, el textile recycling and socio-labor inclusion have come together in the same project which seeks to give clothes a second life and people a new opportunity. Under the name Regeneratex. A sustainable future for allThis initiative has established itself as an example of how the circular economy can translate into eco-social employment and direct support for vulnerable groups.
Thanks to the collaboration between Unicaja Foundation and Inserta CádizThe project has gained momentum and visibility, strengthening a network of collection and treatment of used clothing which covers a large part of the Cadiz region. The objective is not only to manage textile waste, but also to promote social and labor integration, raise public awareness and reduce the environmental impact of fashion consumption.
An eco-social project focused on the circular textile economy
The project Regeneratex. A sustainable future for all It was founded with a clear idea: to use textile waste as a lever to generate decent job opportunities. To this end, Inserta Cádiz organizes a system for collecting, sorting, reusing and recycling used clothing which allows extending the useful life of garments, reducing the volume of waste that ends up in landfills and facilitating the creation of employment for people in situations or at risk of social exclusion.
The initiative is based on the circular economy applied to the textile sectorThis is an area where the environmental and social impact of consumption is especially evident. Through this project, the aim is to give unused clothing a new purpose. second-hand sales, social distribution to vulnerable families or transformation into new materials when reuse is not possible.
The Unicaja Foundation supports this model within its extraordinary environmental meetingLaunched to mark its tenth anniversary. The entity's financial and strategic support allows strengthen textile collection and treatment infrastructureas well as strengthening the socio-labor support for people joining the project.
The eco-social character of Regeneratex translates into a dual aspect: on the one hand, Environmental protection through responsible management of textile wasteOn the other hand, the creation of inclusive employment under standardized conditionsdesigned especially for those who encounter more barriers when accessing the labor market.
This approach fits with the lines that are being promoted in Spain and the rest of Europe To meet the objectives of waste reduction, responsible consumption, and a transition to more sustainable economic models, Inserta Cádiz's experience joins a growing trend of projects that combine textile recycling and social action.
Inserta Cádiz: inclusive employment from textile waste
Inserta Cádiz is a social enterprise promoted by Cáritas Diocesana de Cádiz which began its journey in 2020. Its reason for being is clear: create inclusive employment linked to the collection and recycling of used clothing, offering people with special difficulties in accessing employment the opportunity to train and work in a real environment.
The entity's activity extends across more than a dozen municipalities in the province of Cádizwhere containers and textile collection points have been installed. In 2024 alone, Inserta Cádiz managed to gather 587.449,7 kilos of clothing, a figure that reflects both citizen involvement and the potential of textile waste to be transformed into a resource.
The project currently has 65 containers distributed in locations such as Cádiz, Algeciras, San Fernando, Chiclana, La LĂnea, Medina Sidonia, Vejer, Barbate, Paterna and Los BarriosThese are in addition to others 10 additional points in parishes and Caritas projects, which facilitate the delivery of clothing in environments that are close and familiar to the population.
In addition to collection, Inserta Cádiz manages a warehouse located in the Free Trade Zone of Cadizwhere the clothing is centralized before being sent to specialized treatment plants. From there, the garments are distributed to various Cáritas facilities located in Barcelona, ​​Bilbao or Valencia, which are part of a state network for textile classification and valuation.
Inserta Cádiz's mission is not limited to logistics. The organization works to ensure that every phase of the process—from depositing the clothes in the container to their reuse or recycling— generate opportunities for training, employment and social supportIn this way, the management of textile waste becomes an engine of inclusion for people who, otherwise, would have difficulty accessing a job.
How clothing is managed: from bins to stores and social delivery
Once deposited in the containers or at the collection points, the clothes follow a structured path which allows you to make the most of its potential. The first step is the transfer to the Inserta Cádiz warehouse, where the shipment to the Caritas network treatment plants in other Spanish cities.
In these plants, the garments undergo a process of detailed classification according to their condition and degree of recoveryClothing that cannot be reused is sent to recycling or, ultimately, controlled incinerationso as to minimize their environmental impact. When the garments are ready for a second life, they undergo a sanitization and preparation process.
Some of these reusable garments are geared towards international cooperation projectswhere they are used to meet clothing needs in other territories. Another part is incorporated into the network of Moda-re stores, focused on the sale of second-hand clothing in a context of responsible and supportive consumption.
In the province of Cádiz, the project has several Moda-re points of saleOne store in the city of Cádiz, two in Jerez, and another recently opened in La LĂnea. These establishments allow citizens to buy second-hand clothes in good condition at affordable prices, while sustaining the socio-labor integration project itself.
Alongside the sale, a line of social distribution of clothing to families and individuals at risk of exclusionThe donations are channeled primarily through Cáritas services. In this way, the collected clothing not only becomes an economic resource, but also a tool for direct support to those experiencing vulnerability.
Support from the Unicaja Foundation and alignment with social and environmental policies
The endorsement of Unicaja Foundation to the textile recycling and socio-labor inclusion project of Inserta Cádiz This is part of a broader strategy to support initiatives with social and environmental impact. The foundation has launched extraordinary calls for social and environmental projects linked to the celebration of its tenth anniversary, with a total endowment of more than two million euros.
Through these calls for proposals, candidates have been selected 39 projects in Andalusia and Ciudad Real, among which is Regeneratex. The common criterion is that they contribute to the inclusion of vulnerable people, environmental awareness and preservation of biodiversity, promoting development models that combine sustainability and social cohesion.
In the specific case of Inserta Cádiz, the support of the Unicaja Foundation allows strengthen textile collection and treatment infrastructureto improve social and employment integration processes and expand the project's impact in the province. The collaboration between the two entities also facilitates the dissemination of the circular economy model for textiles among the population.
The visit of Javier Vela, head of the Unicaja Foundation in Cádiz, visited the textile waste processing facilities, together with the president of Inserta Cádiz, Antonio CoronillaThis serves as an example of this support. During the tour, the potential of the textile recycling sector was highlighted for to generate eco-social employment and reduce the environmental footprint of fashion.
This type of alliance fits with current priorities in Spain and the European Unionwhere a transition towards more circular production systems is being promoted. The reuse of textiles, waste reduction, and the promotion of green and social jobs are key elements in sustainability agendas, and projects like Inserta Cádiz provide practical experience and tangible results on the ground.
Combining textile recycling, circular economy and socio-labor inclusion The initiative launched by Inserta Cádiz with the support of the Unicaja Foundation has become a leading program in the province. Through its network of containers, collection points, treatment plants, and secondhand shops, it manages to find a use for hundreds of thousands of kilos of clothing each year, while simultaneously creating jobs for people with significant barriers to employment and providing direct support to vulnerable families. All of this positions the project as an example of how, starting with an everyday waste product like used clothing, solutions can be developed that combine environmental sustainability, social justice, and real opportunities for the future.
