The Charter

Our values

The primacy of people and labour over capital in the distribution of income.

Transparency in relations between partners and towards donors.

Dialogue in a climate of trust based on honesty and treating one another as equals.

Local and international solidarity based on fair cooperation between participants.

Respect for the environment and international law.

Our vision

TESS GEIE aims to build an ethical, democratic and socially responsible world by enabling textile recovery social enterprises to assert themselves as key players in economic life.

Our mission

All textiles, household linen, shoes and clothing accessories of household origin, used or unused, will be recovered, i.e. collected, sorted, processed and put to use by social economy and solidarity enterprises. These latter will prioritise reuse over recycling and then other forms of recovery. They will favour short supply chains and local employment, prioritising those experiencing difficulty entering the employment market as specified in European Regulation 2204/20022

Our strategies

In connection with the recovery of textiles, household linen, shoes and clothing accessories, used or unused, by social economy and solidarity enterprises, we will:

- build partnerships between such enterprises, in particular by establishing a European Economic Interest Grouping; advocate the harmonised transposition of the European directives into national law;

- seek to obtain a favourable legislative, fiscal and general framework1;

- find solutions for loss-making operations in the sector;

- ensure the ethical use of donations;

- support the creation and development of social and solidarity economy enterprises worldwide.

For more information about our governance, click here