A coat entering a secondhand sorting line has a commercial question attached: what should it sell for? Valvan’s Hypersort uses AI to assess a garment’s category, brand and condition, recommend a price and give the item a QR identity.[1]
On the automated line, an operator lays out the unfolded garment. Cameras inspect both sides; labelling and routing follow. Valvan quotes throughput of up to 1,200 garments an hour. It also offers assisted pricing software for operations that do not need the hardware.[1]
That makes price-setting part of the physical flow through the building. The advertised rate describes processing capacity; the product page supplies no measured resale proceeds or payback period.[1]
Why a price tag matters
Sorting businesses have little room for error. In a June 2026 update, Dutch producer-responsibility organisation Stichting UPV Textiel estimated a net sorting shortfall of €0.07–€0.14 per kilogram for 2026. The estimates put revenue below cost. It used the range as one starting point in negotiations with service providers, alongside contracted volumes, duration and capacity.[2]
These sector estimates put handling costs and recovered value in the same calculation. A useful purchasing comparison follows the money after processing: sale proceeds, the cost of preparing items and the cost of holding stock.[2]
The squeeze has already changed where British donors can leave clothes. On 16 February, Salvation Army Trading Company said it would remove some collection banks because it could no longer cover collection and processing costs. It described an international oversupply of low-quality garments that had depressed resale values, even as British demand for secondhand clothing grew.[3]
SATCoL says it passes goods directly to people in need as well as selling through shops and export partners. Its profits support the Salvation Army’s community work. The commercial value of a donation therefore matters beyond the next transaction: it helps finance the services the charity exists to provide.[3]
The attraction of better pricing is practical: earn more from sellable clothes while keeping the cost of handling the whole bag under control.[2]
Sources & further reading
- Hypersort Valvan · Accessed 20 Oct 2026
- Textile sorting costs, 2026 update Stichting UPV Textiel · 17 Jun 2026 · Accessed 20 Oct 2026
- Statement on clothing banks SATCoL · 16 Feb 2026 · Accessed 20 Oct 2026