From Donation to Dilemma: How Institutional Logics Shape Strategic Responses to Textile Overflow

Abstract

Second-hand actors play a key role in reducing textile waste by facilitating reuse. However, they increasingly face a strategic dilemma: incoming donations exceed local demand, creating overflow. This study examines how second-hand organizations respond to textile overflow in light of the EU’s new mandatory textile collection law, and how their strategies are shaped by institutional logics. Based on interviews and field observations in Gothenburg, Sweden, the thesis analyzes how different logic constellations influence how organizations define quality, justify export, and balance moral and operational demands. Strategies include improving donation quality, expanding markets, and engaging with donors and policymakers. The findings show that overflow is not merely a logistical challenge, but a deeply institutional one, interpreted through competing values and norms. This thesis contributes to institutional logics research by demonstrating how organizations handle material surplus through selective adaptation, discretion, and negotiation under institutional complexity.