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Frequently Asked Questions - Green Gear Alliance
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Frequently Asked Questions

On this page you will find answers to frequently asked questions about the Green Gear Alliance and our circular approach for PPE. The road to circular PPE is a shared journey, and we invite you to work on creating this route with us. Join the GGA and help shape circular PPE together!

Target groups of the GGA

> What do we mean with Producers?

By Producers we mean manufacturers and importers as defined in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This concerns companies that are the first to put workwear, safety shoes and other PPE on the market within a certain country. Producers are connected to the GGA as donors.

> What do we mean with Collection partners?

By Collection partners we mean the companies that collect workwear, safety shoes and other PPE and send them to the GGA for sorting and processing. Collection partners are connected to the GGA as customers and are, for example, end users of- or retailers in PPE.

> What do we mean with Sponsors?

By Sponsors we mean all parties that actively contribute to the goal of circular PPE (in addition to collecting), but that are not producers. Sponsors are connected to the GGA as donors and are, for example, distributors or dealers of PPE or other companies that support circular PPE.

> What do we mean with PPE?

By PPE we mean Personal Protective Equipment. When we talk about PPE, in the case of the GGA we are talking about workwear, safety shoes and other PPE (such as safety glasses and helmets).

Why does the GGA exist?

What is the goal of the GGA?

The goal of the GGA is to create a future where no resources are lost and circular workwear, safety shoes and other PPE are the norm. By working together and joining forces as an industry initiative, we achieve the scale needed to make this happen. Our return logistics-service is one part of that.

> Why do we focus on workwear, safety shoes and other PPE?

Reverse logistics for workwear, safety shoes and other PPE requires a different, specialized approach than for consumer textiles. We choose to collect all PPE together, so that collection is easy for the user and companies only need to place one collection bin.

> Why do we need to approach this collectively?

Collection and processing are crucial steps on the road to circular PPE. Efficient return logistics and processing of products require scale. Many of our producers have experienced this in recent years when setting up their own return logistics. In addition, return logistics and processing are not the core activity of producers. In order to organize this efficiently, achieve scale and reduce administrative tasks, it was decided to tackle this together and place it under the Foundation GGA. By working together and collecting and processing on a larger scale, more becomes possible in terms of innovation at material and product level.

Materials within the GGA

> What happens with the materials we collect through the GGA?

The GGA is committed to returning collected products and materials within the value chain in the highest possible quality, whereby we strive to return raw materials in work clothing, work shoes and other PPE in the future. Via our dashboard you can see how the collected products end up as, such as reuse, fibre-to-fibre recycling or applications like cleaning rags.

At the moment, the focus is on creating sufficient volume, because that is the most important condition for returning raw material flows to a high-quality level on a large scale. This flow is currently not profitable – the aim now is to give materials a good destination. To achieve this, we work together with our sorting partner CVB Ecologistics. Safety shoes collected via the GGA go to Fast Feet Grinded, our partner in shoe recycling.

Do you want to use materials from the return flow for an innovation project yourself? Let us know. Do you have a solution or destination in mind for our raw materials that contributes to the journey towards circular PPE? Then we would also like to get in touch with you.
Together with our working groups, the Advisory Board and the Board, we are working on clear agreements about the future of our materials.
We do not generate any income from the return flow; our focus is entirely on finding high-quality destinations for the materials.

> Do I have to pay to use the raw materials from the GGA?

Collected products can be requested for innovation projects after sorting under certain conditions. In principle, there are no costs involved. The GGA strives for innovation in high-quality processing. Please contact us for requests.
When the products are further processed into new raw materials, these cannot be offered free of charge due to the processing costs.

> I have ideas on this topic that I would like to bring in!

Following our launch event, we are starting the Raw Materials working group. In this working group, we will look at the question How do our raw materials retain their value in the chain? This working group is open to everyone, register via info@greengearalliance.eu.

Benefits of the (reverse logistics of the) GGA

> Why should I, as a producer, join the (return logistics of the) GGA?

As a producer (/importer) you want to focus on the development and sale of products. The GGA takes care of the return logistics completely, which not only relieves you of your worries, but also puts the objectives of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in practise.
(check also: Collaboration with the UPV)

Within the GGA, producers and importers remain competitors, but you work together on return logistics and raw material conservation. We largely serve the same customers and target groups – so why set up a separate collection system if it can be more efficient, effective and cost-effective by working together? With one joint return solution, we add value for customers, points of sale and each other.

The GGA is growing into a platform where we jointly tackle themes that affect us all, such as circular raw materials, European UPV developments and innovative return logistics. By joining forces, we are building a market-supported system that makes circular PPE possible.

We strive to enable you to develop new products with existing raw materials in the future.

(See also: What do I pay as a producer/importer to participate in the GGA?)

By joining the GGA, you as a producer, importer or dealer take a concrete step towards a circular chain in which raw materials are retained.

(See also: What do I pay as a producer/importer to participate in the GGA?)

> Why should I, as a collection partner, join the (return logistics of the) GGA?

> Why should I, as a sponsor, join the (return logistics of the) GGA- for dealers and distributors?

> Why should I, as a sponsor, join the (return logistics of the) GGA?

Customer Portal Features

> Can I take a look inside the customer portal?

Yes, you can https://www.greengearalliance.eu/mijn-account/ and explore freely.
Note: orders placed via the customer portal will actually be processed and invoiced.

> What is shown in the dashboard?

The dashboard shows how many kilograms you have collected per product category (workwear, safety shoes, and PPE).
It also shows the destination of these products (e.g. recycling, reuse, or cleaning cloths).
These figures are based on actual data from our sorting partner.
Where possible, it also shows how much water, CO₂, and energy is saved through the collection of these products.

> Can I use the customer portal as a dealer/distributor to manage collection and processing for my customers?

This is possible by adjusting shipping and return addresses or by creating an account per customer.
We currently do not yet offer functionality to manage return logistics for multiple customer accounts from a single portal.
We plan to add this functionality soon.
Do you have ideas or would you like to contribute? Email us at info@greengearalliance.eu.

> Is social return shown in the dashboard?

The GGA focuses on circular PPE. Where possible, we aim to contribute to social initiatives.
For example, we work with our partner Stepa, which provides jobs for people with a distance to the labor market.
Because this is difficult to translate into the processing of workwear, safety shoes, and other PPE, it is not yet included in the dashboard.

> Can existing data be imported into the dashboard?

We can include data in our dashboard retroactively under some criteria.
Please contact us via info@greengearalliance.eu.

Contribution to SDGs and Sustainability

> Data behind the impact dashboard

The data in the impact dashboard is based on carefully conducted calculations and substantiated research.
We will soon add an explanation to the website that provides insight into the methods and assumptions used in these calculations, making the dashboard even more transparent.

> GGA and social return

The GGA collaborates with partner Stepa who provides jobs for people with a distance to the labor market.
This is not included in the GGA’s impact dashboard.

> GGA and CO₂ emissions

The GGA focuses on reducing CO₂ emissions by recycling collected products and reusing materials.
In addition, our carrier DHL has its own GoGreen program, within which they take measures to reduce CO₂ emissions in transport. (Click here for our certificate.)

Financial Structure of the Foundation

> How is the financial structure of the GGA organized?

The variable costs of the Green Gear Alliance mainly consist of collection materials, return logistics, sorting, and processing. We cover these costs through the sale of collection materials. We aim to reduce collection costs in the future.
Our fixed costs mainly include the development of our website and online dashboard, and personnel costs. To ensure the foundation’s continuity, we rely on donations from our producers and sponsors.
As a non-profit foundation, we use our resources as efficiently as possible, with any surplus directly reinvested in our mission.
We also limit our expenses by having producers and sponsors voluntarily contribute to various tasks, such as event photography, member recruitment, and communication.

> You receive materials — is that not a profitable business?

Workwear, safety shoes, and other PPE are complex products to process into new raw materials. We find that the processing costs currently exceed the value of the materials.
With more volume, better processing techniques can be developed, which may make this material stream profitable in the future.
We make clear agreements on this with our working groups, Advisory Board, and the board.

> What happens to profits within the GGA?

Any profits we make are reinvested into the foundation and projects that support the goal of circular PPE.
A board member is appointed as Treasurer and manages the budget.
Decisions are always made in consultation with the board.

> What do I pay as a producer to participate in the GGA?

To cover the fixed costs of our foundation, we ask our producers for an annual contribution.
For 2025, this is set at €15,000 and is calculated proportionally (e.g. participation from April 1 = €11,250).
As more participants join, we aim to lower this amount per participant.

> Why do all producers pay the same regardless of market share?

Because the foundation was established by producers, we chose to keep the structure as simple as possible in the beginning.
To avoid sharing competition-sensitive information, we do not differentiate by market share and therefore also not in the contribution amount.

> What do I pay as a collection partner to participate in the GGA?

As a collection partner, you only pay for the GGA’s collection materials.
See here for current prices.
These costs cover all steps in the collection process: from the collection material itself, to delivery, return, sorting, and processing.

> What do I pay as a dealer/distributor to participate in the GGA?

While collection via the GGA is in principle free and freely distributable to customers, we offer additional options to dealers and distributors who join as sponsors (starting at €5,000/year).
As a sponsor, you gain access to working groups and sales packages.

Collaboration with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

> What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)?

EPR requires producers and importers to take responsibility for their products at the end of their life cycle.
This includes mandatory collection and processing (recycling and reuse).
This legislation already applies to textiles in the Netherlands, including workwear, and will soon also apply to (safety) shoes.
It will be rolled out across Europe in the near future.
With the GGA, we aim to provide a practical implementation of EPR objectives.

> NL// If we participate in the GGA as a producer, do we comply with EPR in the Netherlands?

Participation in the GGA provides a practical implementation of EPR objectives but does not replace the reporting obligation to the government.
You can handle this reporting yourself or join one of the three producer organizations (Collectief Circulair Textiel, Stichting UPV Textiel, or European Recycling Platform).
We believe that producer organizations and the GGA must work together.
We are in talks with them to avoid double costs for our members.
For example, we aim for a possible deduction of collected materials or a discount on the EPR contribution.
Although this is not yet a reality, we see it as the right way forward.

> NL// How do we as producers know what we’ve collected via the GGA, and can we report that to the producer organization (in NL)?

The GGA will report the total volume collected through our organization.
Since we do not ask our members for market share data, we do not break down the report by individual producer.
However, we aim for the volume collected via the GGA to be deducted from your invoice at one of the producer organizations.
We are currently in discussions with them on how best to arrange this.

> If we participate in the GGA as a producer, do we comply with EPR outside the Netherlands (e.g. in Belgium)?

Collaboration throughout the PPE chain

> How does the GGA ensure this is truly a chain-wide initiative?

The GGA is a foundation and strives for transparent operations.
To this end, we have established a board and are launching an Advisory Board.
The board currently consists of producers, and decisions are always documented in writing.
Additionally, the GGA manager acts as a neutral party and will anonymize data for the board when necessary.
We welcome any requests for more transparency on specific topics.
Send your questions or comments to info@greengearalliance.eu.

> What is the Advisory Board?

The Advisory Board is intended to provide both solicited and unsolicited advice to the foundation’s board.

> What are the Impact Teams?

We aim to establish working groups to jointly address specific issues.
One of the future working groups could be: EPR in Europe.
Participation in the working groups is intended for sponsors and producers, as well as GGA partners (e.g. the sorter and recycler).
Collection partners may be invited to participate when relevant.

Collaboration throughout the PPE chain

Are you working toward circular PPE? Then join us!

Registering as a collection partner is easy through the website.
To register as a sponsor or producer, get in touch via info@greengearalliance.eu or use the contact form.