A press conference was held today in Pilsen to mark the launch of the new “Dress Up the Pilsen Region” website. The project is the latest in a series and follows on from the successful initiatives Obleč Prahu, Obleč Brno, and Obleč Jihlava. Its goal is to provide residents of Pilsen and the entire Pilsen Region with clear and understandable information on how to dispose of unwanted clothing in a meaningful, sustainable way that takes local needs into account.
How people in the Pilsen Region dispose of their clothes
The press conference also featured the results of a survey by Ipsos, which examined purchasing habits, sorting, and the reuse of clothing among residents of the region. The results show that the topics of sustainability and helping others enjoy strong support in the Pilsen Region:
- 55% of residents combine buying new and secondhand clothing
- 86% of people cite the desire for clothing to continue serving a purpose or to help others as their main motivation for sorting
- 75% of residents want clothing to be reused, recycled, or processed in an environmentally friendly manner
- 67% of people place clothing in textile collection bins
- 30% donate clothing to friends or family
- 26% try to resell their clothes
- 15% donate clothes to nonprofit organizations
The Pilsen Region thus ranks among the regions with a high willingness to keep clothes in circulation—whether through donation, sale, or recycling. At the same time, however, there is still room for improvement, particularly in reducing the disposal of textiles in mixed waste.
Donating clothes has a strong social dimension
The survey results confirm that residents of the Plzeň Region view donating clothing not only as an environmentally friendly act, but also as a concrete way to help people in need.
“Promoting the reuse of items, including clothing, is one way to reduce waste while helping those in need,” said Pavel Bosák, deputy mayor of Pilsen.
Representatives of the nonprofit sector also highlight the importance of material aid. According to them, donated clothing often provides quick and practical assistance to people facing difficult life circumstances and helps them regain a sense of dignity.
Dress Up Plzeň: Everything You Need in One Place
The new website features a clear, interactive map that connects all the options for what to do with your clothes:
- textile collection bins
- charity shops run by nonprofit organizations
- community workshops and repair shops
- SWAP events
- recycling centers
The goal is to make it easier for people to decide where to donate their clothes so they can continue to be useful—whether to specific individuals or through eco-friendly processing.
What will encourage people to recycle even more
Survey respondents also indicated what would make sorting clothes easier for them:
- better access to collection points (45%)
- financial compensation for donated clothes (28%)
- a discount on new clothes in exchange for old ones (24%)
- clear information about donation and sorting options (19%)
The project addresses precisely these needs—it focuses on expanding collection points and providing clear and accessible information.
Acknowledgments to Our Partners
A big thank you goes to the city of Pilsen and all the partners involved in the “Dress the Pilsen Region” project who are helping to bring clothing back into circulation. Thanks to our joint efforts, clothing can continue to serve a purpose—in a meaningful, local, and sustainable way.
Dana Pavlousková
Director
We give clothing a new life, helping those in need.
