West Friesland schools compete in Textiel Race to promote textile recycling and win trip to NEMO
Ten primary schools in West Friesland are competing in the Textiel Race, teaching children about sustainable textile use. The winning class earns a trip to NEMO Science Museum, while residents can support by donating old textiles for free collection.
| Key Data | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Textiel Race |
| Duration | March 23 – April 16, 2026 |
| Participating Schools | 10 primary schools in West Friesland |
| Prize | School trip to NEMO Science Museum, Amsterdam |
| Goal | Teach children about reusing, repairing, and recycling textiles |
| Supported by | Municipalities of Hoorn, Drechterland, and waste management company HVC |
| Funding | Kansen voor West, European Union, Province of North Holland |
| How to Help | Donate old textiles via www.textielrace.nl |
The municipalities of Hoorn and Drechterland, along with waste management company HVC, organize the Textiel Race to promote sustainable textile practices among children and their communities. This initiative aligns with broader regional efforts to reduce textile waste and raise environmental awareness.
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Ten primary schools launch the Textiel Race
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March 20, 2026
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. Alderman Dick Bennis attended the launch at primary school De Flierefluiter in Zwaag and even brought along some old clothes.
The Textiel Race
The Textiel Race encourages students to use textiles more sustainably. This includes clothing, shoes, stuffed animals, 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 learn that textiles can be repaired, reused, or deposited in a textile container.
Join in!
In the Netherlands, more than half of all used textiles are still thrown away with residual waste. As a result, they are incinerated and cannot be reused or recycled. Residents who want to support the participating primary schools can have their old textiles collected for free from home. This can be done by offering the textiles online on the website. This applies to all textiles—from used 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, Drechterland, and waste management company HVC. With 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.