25 years of Kolping Recycling: A celebration of solidarity in Fulda!

25 years of Kolping Recycling: A celebration of solidarity in Fulda!

On June 12, 2025, a very special anniversary was celebrated in Fulda: Kolping Recycling looks back on 25 years of solidarity. The ceremony was a great success and attracted guests from all over Germany who came together to honor the company's achievements. Alexandra Horster, the Federal Secretary of the Kolping Society, opened the event with a warm welcome. In his speech, Michael Konow, General Manager of the IHK, emphasized the immense economic and social importance of Kolping Recycling.

The founding idea for Kolping Recycling came about in 1999, but it wasn't until 2000 that Kolping Recycling GmbH was founded. Stephan Kowoll, who has been at the helm of the company for 13 years, remembered the beginnings in a modest office at Künzeller Straße 15. A lot has happened since then: from 2008 onwards, targeted investments were made in collection containers, which led the company to professionalize its triple mission.

Unique collection system

Kolping Recycling is proud to be the only social association in Germany with a comprehensive collection system for used textiles. 40% of used textiles come from our own containers, and around 300 street collections take place every year. A special highlight is the “Shuuz” program, which sends around 1,000 pairs of shoes to recycling systems every week. In total, an impressive 8.5 million pairs of shoes have been recorded since the program began. These successes show how important Kolping Recycling's ecological commitment is, which extends across twelve federal states.

The headquarters on Heinrichstrasse was expanded in 2023 with an additional warehouse on Bellinger Strasse to meet requirements. Nevertheless, Kolping Recycling is facing current challenges: Poor quality of imported goods, delivery problems and new CO₂ and toll regulations represent hurdles. Stephan Kowoll is calling for a large amount of flexibility within the industry in order to continue to operate successfully.

Social responsibility and future prospects

At Kolping Recycling, social thought is very important. The company's profits flow directly into charitable projects, and service contracts are awarded to integration companies in order to integrate people into the primary labor market. Over 500 collectors from various sectors – non-profit, municipal and commercial – entrust the company with their used clothing, which underlines the good insight into the working methods of the voluntary collecting groups.

Eric Rehbock, Managing Director of the BSVE, also mentioned that there is a need for action in the industry, who pointed out the difficulties the industry is currently suffering from. Nevertheless, there is hope for a national circular strategy that focuses on textiles and promotes stronger regulations. This strategy could also be linked to current projects and developments at EU level aimed at making the clothing industry more sustainable. The consumer is in demand and a shift in mindset around long-lasting clothing is essential to address the challenges in the textile sector.

Following Adolph Kolping, who once said: “The hardships of the time will teach you what to do,” Kowoll concluded the ceremony with a look to the future. It remains to be seen how Kolping Recycling will set its course in the coming years in order to continue to be successful both ecologically and socially.