Opshop chain Salvos has opened a textile recovery facility in Brisbane to support a more circular economy and help generate additional revenue for the Salvation Army.

The site features automated sorting and decommissioning systems and is expected to process up to 5000 tonnes of fabric annually. It will also allow take-back services for uniforms and other non-resalable textiles.

Head of Salvos Stores, Nic Baldwin, expressed his optimism that the project would help divert more textile waste from landfills.

“Every step forward helps us create lasting impact for both people and the environment,” he said.

With more than 400 stores nationwide, Salvos Stores kept 52 million items in circulation last year. The new facility is expected to build on that effort by increasing recovery and reuse rates.

The Queensland Government has invested $4.97 million in the project. Environment and Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said the facility will strengthen the state’s waste infrastructure while supporting broader sustainability goals.

“This facility will reduce the amount of textile waste going to landfill, but it will also unlock new economic opportunities and support Queensland’s transition to a sustainable economy,” Powell said.

“We recognise the critical need for waste infrastructure in Queensland, and we are taking action to deliver it through this new nation-leading facility.”