What is the best thing to do with your old clothes? There are various ideas, but also regulations. To improve sustainability and establish a sustainable waste circular economy, the European Union, in its Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC of 19 November 2008, required its member states to take appropriate measures to gradually increase the recycling rate of municipal waste to 55 per cent by weight by 2025 and 65 per cent by 2035, and to make this a legal requirement.
Since 1 January 2025, this has also applied to the separate collection of textile waste. EU experts have determined that the production of a single cotton shirt requires 2,700 litres of fresh water. According to research by EU experts, producing clothing for EU citizens has consumed nine cubic metres of water, 400 square metres of land, and 391 kilograms of raw materials per EU citizen. Measures were urgently needed – unless everyone was to walk around naked.
The German government, like all other EU member states, has implemented the EU directive into national law. Old clothes can no longer simply be disposed of in household waste unless they are heavily soiled and therefore no longer reusable.
The German government recommends donating clothes to textile collectors or reselling them online via dedicated platforms. Here are the tips from the Hamburg Consumer Advice Centre...
For Magnus Carlsen, the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC does not technically apply, as Norway is not part of the European Union. However, it is a different matter when Carlsen is abroad in the EU.
The former world champion has once again done everything right and listed an old pair of jeans for sale on eBay, one of the recommended selling platforms. The jeans appeared to be in quite good condition at first glance, judging by the available images. However, they did not comply with the dress code imposed by FIDE in its chess tournaments.
At the World Rapid Chess Championship in December 2024 in New York, Magnus Carlsen wore attire that could perhaps be classified as "smart casual" or at most "business casual", consisting of high-quality jeans, a shirt and a jacket. However, FIDE and the presiding arbiter required at least "business formal", which is typical for business occasions. Naturally, a World Chess Championship is a business occasion – after all, money is at stake, isn't it?
Carlsen still in good spirits | Photo: FIDE
The debate over the correct dress code and the urgency with which the tournament officials demanded a change of clothing frustrated the multiple-time world champion. Most chess fans will recall the related news from the end of last year. However, the world's best chess player ultimately agreed to participate in the World Blitz Championship – in formal business attire – but accepted the title only jointly, perhaps as a silent protest?
Carlsen no longer felt comfortable with the jeans, so, as mentioned above, he listed them for sale on an EU waste-management-approved online platform.
The jeans surprisingly fetched a high price at auction, which ended on 1 March. The final sale price was 36,100 USD. The original price was around 200 dollars. That’s quite an appreciation in value! The savvy Norwegian, however, is not pocketing the money himself – he is donating it to the youth organisation Big Brothers Big Sisters.
What will the new owner of the jeans do with them? We are curious to find out.
Here you can learn from Magnus Carlsen's old games (for a very competitive prize)!
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