Textil Recycling K. & A. Wenkhaus GmbH, a traditional Hamburg company that is over 100 years old and has always dealt with the collection, sorting and processing of used textiles. And that out of deep conviction, especially in terms of environmental protection and the global conservation of important resources.

The company K. & A. Wenkhaus GmbH and the 50-strong team are managed by Olaf Rintsch in the fourth generation. The “boss with heart and mind” acquired his extensive specialist knowledge in the family business and during long years of apprenticeship in various foreign companies. He also had a seat on the boards of all important professional associations and is now Honorary President of the Textile Division of the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) .

And the fifth generation of the family business is already in the starting blocks: with its daughter Lilly, Textil Recycling K. & A. Wenkhaus GmbH, with its excellent contacts around the world, will remain Northern Germany's number 1 competent contact point for all questions relating to collection and sorting for the next 100 years and recycling of all kinds of textiles.

History

It all began in 1914: Karl and Alwine Wenkhaus founded the company Textil Recycling K. & A. Wenkhaus and thus became official Hamburg rag collectors or plünnhöker. That laid the foundation for our family business in the oldest recycling business in the world. The two of them ran through the streets, shouting “Bring us your rags” and collecting old textiles, duvets and shoes on so-called “Schott's carts”. The used clothes collected in this way were sorted into different areas and then further processed or sold.

Today more than 50 employees in our family company in the fifth generation collect and sort textiles and thus take responsibility for future generations every day. We love our work in textile recycling, because this is exactly where we can make a difference: we protect natural raw materials, the environment and the climate and thus work at the forefront when it comes to environmental protection and waste avoidance. And the best part: Just like our used clothing collection containers and our used clothing bales for export, we also have all corners and edges.