The history of Texaid

In 1973, six reputed Swiss charity aid organisations (SRK, Winterhilfe Schweiz, Solidar Suisse, Caritas Schweiz, Kolping Schweiz and HEKS) joined forces in order to coordinate and optimise their used clothes collections. In 1978 they founded TEXAID Textilverwertungs-AG together with a private partner. Their aim is to organise the professional collection, sorting and recycling of used textiles.

First steps

The partnership between TEXAID and the aid organisations began with the search for a suitable location. This needed to have good transport connections whilst being in an economically weak region where jobs could be created. They decided to establish the company in Schattdorf in the mountain Canton of Uri. TEXAID had already started work in a temporary location in Brunnen before being able to move into the Schattdorf sorting facility in 1982.

Key dates

  • 1973: Establishment of the TEXAID working group by six Swiss aid organisations
  • 1978: Establishment of TEXAID Textilverwertungs-AG
  • 1979: First team collection (collection with the company's own staff) in St. Gallen
  • 1980: Opening of a temporary sorting facility in Brunnen, Canton of Schwyz
  • 1982: Opening of the sorting facility in Schattdorf, Canton of Uri
  • 1993: First TEXAID collection bin
  • 1999: Inauguration of the Zurich sorting facility
  • 2005: Establishment of TEXAID Bulgaria Ltd 
  • 2007: Groundbreaking ceremony for the new sorting facility in Schattdorf
  • 2007: Placement of the 3,000th TEXAID collection bin in Schlieren
  • 2008: Opening of a new sorting facility in Schattdorf (computer-aided facility)
  • 2008: Acquisition of a 70 % share in Algotextil, Hungary
  • 2009: Takeover of ORT Reinigungstextilien GmbH in Darmstadt (now TEXAID Deutschland GmbH)
  • 2009: ISO certification 9001:2008 of TEXAID Textilverwertungs-AG in Switzerland
  • 2010: Opening of a new sorting facility in Bulgaria (TEXAID Bulgaria Ltd)
  • 2010: Opening of a new sorting facility in Hungary (TEXAID Hungaria)
  • 2011: Takeover of CONTEX AG
  • 2012: Takeover of Kritzer Recycling GmbH (now TEXAID Collection GmbH)
  • 2013: Takeover of the ReSales Group in Germany
  • 2013: Development and launch of the in-shop collection system
  • 2013: ISO certification 9001:2008 of TEXAID Deutschland GmbH
  • 2014: ISO certification 9001:2008 of TEXAID Collection GmbH in Germany (Apolda and Darmstadt)
  • 2014: ISO certification 9001:2008 of ReSales Textilhandels- und –recycling GmbH in Germany
  • 2015: Swiss Climate ‘CO2 Neutral’ quality seal (ISO 14064, certification by SGS) for TEXAID Textilverwertungs-AG in Switzerland
  • 2016: ISO certification 14001:2015 (environmental management system) of TEXAID Textilverwertungs-AG in Switzerland
  • 2016: Takeover of AustriaTex/Textile SEVH GmbH in Austria (today: TEXAID Austria GmbH)
  • 2016: Recognition of TEXAID Austria GmbH in Austria as a ‘Klimabündnis Company’ by Klimabündnis Österreich GmbH
  • 2018: Participation in Casi Nuevo Kids Sarl in Madrid/Spain
  • 2019: Establishment of TEXAID USA, Inc. in Indianapolis
  • 2022: Change in shareholder composition and orientation of TEXAID's strategy (see news)
  • 2023: Changes in the shareholder structure resulting from the shift in focus from the Swiss market to international growth: end of the charity private partnership