Dutch primary schools compete in Textiel Race to promote textile recycling and win a trip to NEMO
Ten primary schools in North Holland are turning sustainability into a competition, teaching children about textile recycling, repair, and reuse. The winning class earns a trip to NEMO Science Museum, while residents can support by donating old textiles for free collection.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Textiel Race |
| Duration | March 23 – April 16, 2026 |
| Participating Schools | 10 (e.g., TVH Montessorischool De Flierefluiter, Het Kompas, De Wingerd) |
| Prize | School trip to NEMO Science Museum, Amsterdam |
| Supported by | Kansen voor West, EU, Province of North Holland |
| Organizers | Municipalities of Hoorn and Drechterland, HVC |
| Textile Collection | Free home pickup via www.textielrace.nl |
| Goal | Reduce textile waste, promote reuse and recycling |
The municipalities of Hoorn and Drechterland, along with waste management organization HVC, play a key role in promoting circular economy initiatives like the Textiel Race. Their involvement ensures local engagement in sustainability projects, aligning with broader environmental goals set by the province and the EU.
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Ten primary schools launch the Textiel Race
From March 23 to April 16, the Textiel Race will take place. This project teaches children more about reusing, repairing, and collecting used and damaged textiles. The class that recycles the most textiles wins a school trip to NEMO in Amsterdam. On March 18, the project kicked off at all schools with a guest lecture.
The Textiel Race
The Textiel Race encourages students to adopt more sustainable textile practices. This includes clothing, shoes, stuffed toys, tablecloths, and even curtains. During the race, children learn in a fun and interactive way about topics such as reducing consumption and the impact of textile production on people and the environment. They also discover that textiles can be repaired, reused, or deposited in a textile container.
Get involved!
In the Netherlands, more than half of used textiles are still thrown away with residual waste, resulting in incineration and preventing reuse or recycling. Residents who want to support the participating primary schools can have their old textiles collected for free at home. This can be arranged by offering the textiles online at www.textielrace.nl. This applies to all textiles—from worn-out sweaters, socks, and old curtains to used towels. Everything is welcome.
In addition to collecting textiles, students will also work on repairing clothing items and swapping clothes. The participating schools in the region are: TVH Montessorischool De Flierefluiter, Het Kompas (with three groups), De Wingerd, Westfriese Vrije School Parcival (with two groups), Het Ooievaarsnest, ’t Padland, and Jan Luykenschool.
Background
This project is made possible in part by Kansen voor West and co-financed by the European Union and the province of North Holland. The "Racen voor Impact" project will be working on a large scale with the Textiel Race in North Holland over the coming years (2024–2029). The Textiel Race in West Friesland is organized by the municipalities of Hoorn and Drechterland, along with HVC. Through the Textiel Race, they aim to raise awareness among children and their communities about the importance of reuse, the possibility of repairing textiles, and textile recycling.