Wildberries, one of Russia’s largest e-commerce platforms, has marked a major milestone in its expanding circular-economy strategy after reporting that more than four million clothing and accessory items have been donated through its textile collection program since 2022. The initiative, developed with eco-tech company Ecoplatform, has diverted more than 1,600 tons of materials away from landfill and into recycling or reuse streams, demonstrating how digital retail infrastructure can accelerate large-scale waste reduction across Eurasia.

A New Model of Circular Fashion Embedded in Daily Consumer Behavior

The textile initiative, titled “Not Just a Thing,” was designed to merge convenience with environmental impact by placing donation boxes inside Wildberries’ vast network of online-order pickup points. Instead of treating circularity as a separate process, the company integrated collection points into everyday customer journeys, making the act of dropping off used textiles as easy as collecting a purchase. The model has expanded rapidly. Ecoplatform operates collection containers in thousands of locations across Russia and neighboring countries, reaching a portion of Wildberries’ more than ninety thousand pickup sites. As accessibility increased, a consistent pattern of repeat participation emerged. The companies observed that typical donors return multiple times per year, indicating that the program is shifting consumer norms around textile disposal and reuse. One collection box alone gathered more than six tons of textiles, highlighting the potential for dense urban logistics networks to double as circularity hubs without requiring new infrastructure or costly customer incentives.

Why the Milestone Matters for Environmental Performance?

The global fashion sector has a disproportionate environmental footprint, responsible for a substantial share of global carbon emissions and a rapidly growing mass of textile waste. Much of this waste is landfilled or incinerated, particularly in countries lacking robust recycling systems. Against this backdrop, Wildberries’ ability to collect more than 1,600 tons in three years demonstrates the scale achievable when a major digital retailer activates its user base. By transforming its physical footprint into a network of circular-economy nodes, Wildberries shows how retail platforms can reduce Scope 3 emissions, cut waste and support emerging textile recycling markets. The volume collected also provides recyclers with consistent input streams that can improve the economics of mechanical and chemical recycling technologies. The initiative aligns with global investor interest in scalable, practical circular solutions, particularly in emerging markets where waste management infrastructure may lag behind consumption patterns.

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A Growing Community of Donors and a Cultural Shift Toward Reuse

Wildberries describes the program as an evolving community engagement effort rather than a standalone sustainability project. Company representatives have noted that donors increasingly view the act of giving away unused clothing as a normal part of the purchase cycle rather than a special activity, creating a cultural reinforcement loop. The program’s reach has expanded alongside the platform itself. With more than seventy nine million registered users in 2025 and a logistics footprint stretching across nine countries, Wildberries is positioned to introduce circular habits to an exceptionally wide consumer base. This influence is particularly significant in regions where textile recycling is still emerging and public awareness remains limited. By nurturing a predictable and user friendly donation process, the company is building a form of circular infrastructure that does not rely on government funded waste systems or heavy capital investment.

Operational Efficiency and Low-Cost Impact Through Digital Logistics

Wildberries’ success also stems from its ability to optimise logistics and reverse supply chains. Pickup points already act as central nodes for customer traffic, delivery consolidation and last mile distribution. Adding textile donation boxes leverages the same infrastructure, keeping operating costs low while enabling high volumes of collection. Ecoplatform’s role includes sorting, processing and distributing the donated materials to recycling partners or social reuse channels. The partnership showcases how retailers can partner with specialised circular firms to manage waste streams without taking on full operational responsibility. This collaborative model can be replicated in other sectors where large networks of retail or parcel points interact with customers on a daily basis. For ESG investors, it demonstrates a cost efficient pathway to real-world decarbonisation and waste avoidance.

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Expansion Plans and the Future of Circular Fashion in Eurasia

Wildberries and Ecoplatform plan to expand the number of collection boxes in the coming months, increasing geographic coverage and bringing textile recycling closer to smaller towns and suburban communities. As participation grows, both partners expect the program to strengthen circular behavior patterns that will persist even as new recycling technologies mature. The initiative underscores the potential for private-sector innovation to influence consumer habits and reshape regional recycling landscapes. With millions of donors and a growing volume of materials collected, Wildberries has become an unexpected but influential force in Eurasia’s transition toward circular fashion. If scaled further, the model could help reduce textile waste, support new recycling industries and provide a template for retailers seeking measurable environmental and social outcomes in an era of rising sustainability expectations.

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