Humana People to People Italia

What Humana People to People Italia does

Humana People to People Italia ONLUS is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 and headquartered in Pregnana Milanese, Italy. It operates as the Italian branch of the international Humana People to People Federation (17+ countries) and runs an integrated textile circular economy platform comprising over 5,500 street-level collection containers, 20 retail stores (Humana Vintage and Humana People brands), and one e-commerce channel (humanavintage.it). The semi-automatic sorting facility in Pregnana Milanese — the largest in Northern Italy at 12,000 tonnes/year — processes collected textiles through 23 automatically-fed silos, a conveyor belt, and 13 sorting stations that classify material into 25 macro-categories and approximately 65 sub-categories, with 65.5% destined for reuse, 27.1% for recycling, and 7.4% for energy recovery. A digital material flow management system provides traceability from intake to finished-product storage.

The organization serves three primary customer segments: approximately 3 million individual clothing donors (free, drop-off-based), Italian municipalities contracting differentiated textile waste collection services, and fashion brands/retailers (Save The Duck, Intimissimi, iDO, Unes Supermercati, Scout, CityModa, Scarpamondo, Personal Bra Ladies, Miomojo) seeking take-back and CSR programs. Revenue is generated through four streams: resale of sorted garments via physical retail and e-commerce, international wholesale export of second-hand clothing to African and other downstream markets, managed-services contracts with municipalities and institutions, and corporate CSR/take-back service fees — supplemented by donations including the Italian 5x1000 tax designation. Proceeds fund international development projects in health, education, agriculture, and community development executed through sister organizations across 9 countries (India, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Ecuador, DRC). As of latest reporting, the organization has 320 collaborators in Italy, has supported 24 active projects across 9 countries, and has improved living conditions for over 1.5 million people over 20 years; the international federation now reaches 14 million beneficiaries.

Name

Humana People to People Italia

Legal name

Humana People to People Italia ONLUS

Website

https://humanaitalia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Humana People to People Italia is a non-profit operating an integrated textile circular economy platform — 5,500+ collection containers, 20 retail stores, and a 12,000-tonne/year sorting plant — that funds international development projects across 9 countries through clothing donation, resale, and export revenues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Textile Reuse and Circular Economy Services

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (4581)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Donation, Resale & Textile Recycling Coordination (HSAFABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Laundry & Textile Waste Services (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAI), Uniform & Linen Pickup/Delivery & Route Service (HSAJAMAD)

Keywords

• Textile collection services
• Second-hand clothing retail
• Circular economy services
• Clothing sorting and processing
• Nonprofit international development

Headquarters

HQ city

Pregnana Milanese

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Clothing Collection and Resale: Humana collects used clothing via street containers, store drop-offs, and corporate partnerships. Collected items are sorted, sanitized, and either sold through Humana Vintage/People retail stores and e-commerce, or exported through the international second-hand clothing market. Revenue is generated from the sale of collected and processed garments, with proceeds funding international development projects.
2. Municipal and Institutional Contracts: Contracts with Italian municipalities and public entities for differentiated textile waste collection services. Humana operates collection infrastructure on behalf of local governments.
3. Corporate CSR and Take-Back Programs: Partnership programs with fashion brands and retailers (e.g., Intimissimi, Save The Duck, iDO) for clothing take-back and collection campaigns, generating revenue through service fees and downstream resale of collected items.
4. 5x1000 and Donations: Charitable donations from private individuals and the 5x1000 tax designation program, which support international development projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels15 records

Core offering

Humana People to People Italia operates an integrated textile circular economy platform: it collects used clothing through more than 5,500 street-level containers, in-store drop-off points, and corporate partnerships; sorts and sanitizes the material at a semi-automatic facility in Pregnana Milanese with a capacity of 12,000 tonnes per year; and resells processed garments through the Humana Vintage and Humana People retail chains (around 20 stores across Italy), an e-commerce channel (humanavintage.it), and exports to international second-hand clothing markets. Proceeds from sales, alongside municipal waste-management contracts, corporate CSR/take-back programs, and 5x1000 tax-designation donations, fund international development projects in health, education, agriculture, and community development across 9 countries.

Product overview

Humana People to People Italia operates an integrated textile circular economy platform comprising retail stores (Humana Vintage and Humana People), clothing collection infrastructure (Ecobox containers and in-store drop-off points), and community engagement services (Swap Party events and Caring Lab workshops). The organization collects used textiles through its network of over 5,500 street containers and retail partners, sorts and processes materials at its semi-automatic plant in Pregnana Milanese (capacity: 12,000 tonnes/year), and valorizes items through resale in its 18+ physical stores and e-commerce channel. Revenues fund international development projects in health, education, agriculture, and community development across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Humana People: Retail store brand for second-hand clothing and accessories
• Humana Vintage
• Ecobox

Quantifiable outcome

• Reusing one garment has 70 times lower environmental impact than producing a new one (EuRIC study, Oxford Economics)
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Italo TrenominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2025Extraordinary clothing collection campaign through Humana Ecoboxes at Italo Treno stations in Rome and Milan, involving approximately 330 people during the M'Illumino di Meno 2025 campaign.
• PardgroupminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2025Milan-based international retail consulting company that supports Humana's Humana Vintage and Humana People store communications. Hosts extraordinary clothing collection at its Milan headquarters during M'Illumino di Meno 2025 with an employee presentation event.
• IntimissimicoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2025Clothing donation campaign where Intimissimi customers can donate unused garments to Humana, which are then processed through the circular supply chain to generate positive environmental and social outcomes.
• Save The DuckcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Take-back and clothing collection partnership: Save The Duck customers return garments at Humana locations. The collaboration continued and expanded through 2025, promoting circular fashion and responsible clothing disposal.
• CityModaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025New collaboration launched in 2025 with CityModa fashion retailer to generate positive social and environmental impacts through clothing collection.
• iDO / MiniconfminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Kidswear brand iDO (Miniconf Group) partnered with Humana to give new life to children's clothing through take-back collection at iDO locations. Collected garments are processed through Humana's circular supply chain.
• Personal Bra LadiesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Second consecutive year partnership: Personal Bra Ladies customers can donate clothing at designated locations for Humana to process through its circular economy supply chain.
• ScoutminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Kidswear brand Scout collaborates with Humana on swap party events and take-back programs, promoting sustainable fashion choices among families and children.
• MiomojominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Miomojo and Humana collaborate on climate change initiatives in Italy and Botswana, with Miomojo contributing to environmental and social impact projects supported by Humana's supply chain.
• Humana Football Corner (Partner Retailer)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025First shop-in-shop dedicated entirely to football clothing, operated by a partner retailer within Humana stores.
• ScarpamondominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Shoe retailer Scarpamondo partnered with Humana to promote responsible clothing disposal through collection at Scarpamondo locations, contributing to circular economy objectives.
• UNIRAU (Unione Nazionale Imprese Raccolta Rifiuti)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Humana participates in UNIRAU as a member representing textile recycling operators. Karina Bolin, Humana Italia CEO, represents UNIRAU-Assoambiente at international forums including the G7 ACT Agenda on Circular Textiles. UNIRAU advocates for clear EU textile regulations to prevent supply chain disruption.
• AssorecupericoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2024Humana is a member of Assorecuperi, participating at Ecomondo 2024 alongside other members. Assorecuperi is the Italian association representing recycling companies and is linked to EuRIC at the European level.
• WWF ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Vestiamo le Oasi di verde project: Humana and WWF Italia collaborate on tree planting in WWF oases, with 30,000 trees to be planted between November 2024 and November 2027, part of the broader Vestiamo il futuro di verde initiative targeting 85,000 trees by 2030. Activities involve active citizen participation.
• Comune di VanzagominorOthers · 1 November 2024Partnership for the Vestiamo le Oasi di verde tree planting project at WWF Oasi Bosco di Vanzago. Mayor Lorenzo Musante participated in the November 2024 planting event.
• Assoambiente (FISE Assoambiente)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2024Humana participates in Assoambiente's Impianti Aperti initiative, opening its sorting facility to industry stakeholders on World Circular Textiles Day. Assoambiente organizes industry events and advocates for Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks benefiting textile reuse operators.
• Oxford EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Oxford Economics conducted the socio-economic impact study The Socio-Economic Impact of Second-Hand Clothes in Africa and the EU27+ for Humana People to People Federation and Sympany+. The study found 7 billion euro contribution to EU27+ GDP and 150,000 jobs supported in the sector.
• Erion TextilescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Humana Italia partnered with Erion Textiles on the Raccogli-AMO project, a pilot textile collection initiative in stores that launched in Naples and expanded to Turin in July 2024/2025, supporting in-store textile collection.
• ASviS (Alleanza Italiana per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Humana participates in ASviS events and festivals as a member. The Impianti Aperti event was registered with the Festival dello Sviluppo Sostenibile organized by ASviS.
• DonneXStradacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Humana participates in the Punti Viola program created by DonneXStrada. Humana Vintage (Milan Via De Amicis) and Humana People (Bologna Via Marconi) stores serve as safe havens for women experiencing violence, with trained staff providing initial support and referral information. A third store in Rome is being trained.
• Unes SupermercaticoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Over 20-year partnership with Unes Supermercati has collected more than 7,800 tonnes of used clothing through Unes store locations, demonstrating long-term stable B2B collaboration.
• Humana People To People Italia Societa Cooperativa a r.l.coreOthers · 1 January 2024A related cooperative entity that collaborates with Humana People to People Italia ONLUS in realizing its institutional missions. Named in the privacy policy as a data access recipient.
• Federazione Humana People to PeoplecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Humana Italia is the Italian member of the international Humana People to People federation operating across 17+ countries. The federation coordinates international development programs, shares best practices, and conducts global advocacy on circular textiles and humanitarian issues. International beneficiaries grew from 1.7 million 20 years ago to 14 million today.
• Humana IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Humana India's sister organization implementing development projects including the Tejaswini women's empowerment program (11 districts in Jharkhand state, 396,775 beneficiaries in 2023) and education programs reaching over 78,000 beneficiaries in 2024.
• ADPP MozambiquecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ADPP Mozambique is Humana Italia's sister organization implementing development projects in Mozambique including the Rural Development Center and Cashew Cultivation Center (81.79% funded by Humana Italia in 2024), teacher training colleges in Inhambane and Tete, and health programs.
• DAPP MalawicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024DAPP Malawi is Humana Italia's sister organization implementing the Amalika teacher training college (7.73% funded by Humana Italia in 2024) and health programs in Malawi.
• DAPP ZambiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024DAPP Zambia is Humana Italia's sister organization implementing the TCE, OVC and Sungani Bana HIV/AIDS prevention project (0.58% funded by Humana Italia in 2024) across 4 provinces, with 301,004 people tested and 50,897 children and adolescents reached.
• Bureau VeritasminorOthers · 1 January 2024Third-party certification body providing quality and process certification for Humana Italia's textile sorting and processing operations.
• Grant ThorntonminorOthers · 1 January 2024Grant Thornton provides auditing and financial advisory services to Humana Italia SCARL, supporting transparency and accountability in financial reporting.
• EuRIC (European Recycling Industries Confederation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Humana is a member of EuRIC through Assorecuperi, participating in policy advocacy and LCA research on textile reuse. EuRIC commissioned the LCA assessment report demonstrating that reusing garments has 70x lower environmental impact than new production. Humana President Karina Bolin publicly endorsed EuRIC's policy guidelines for EU textile sustainability.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Italiana: Large Italian nonprofit operating secondhand shops and donation-based clothing collection in Italy. Overlaps with Humana on secondhand retail and clothing donation collection, but with a broader social services mandate rather than a circular-textile specialization.

Direct peers

• Fiare (Spain/Europe): European social-enterprise second-hand textile collector and sorter operating collection networks and sorting facilities across Spain and other European markets, with a comparable nonprofit/social-enterprise positioning.
• Sympany (formerly Humana People to People Netherlands): Former member of the Humana People to People Federation that operated the same model in the Netherlands; now a charitable textile collector, sorter, and second-hand clothing operator (including ReShare brand). Closest federation peer.
• Texaid: Swiss-headquartered European textile collector and sorter operating across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and other markets; processes post-consumer textiles through owned sorting facilities. Direct competitor in collection and sorting capacity.
• I:CO (I:Collect): Global for-profit textile collection and sorting operator (SOEX Group) serving retailers and brands with take-back programs and material sorting — directly comparable on the sorting/as-a-service line of business.
• Boer Group: Netherlands-based post-consumer textile sorting and reuse operator; runs sorting facilities and supplies the international secondhand clothing wholesale market. Comparable on sorting capacity, export channels, and downstream buyer relationships.
• Humana Fundación Pueblo para Pueblo (Spain): Sister organization within the Humana People to People Federation, operating the same integrated model (street containers, sorting, Humana Vintage retail stores) in Spain. Holds the EU ECHO humanitarian certification. The most direct comparable for Humana Italia.

Emerging players

• Patagonia (Worn Wear): Brand-owned take-back, repair, and resale program by Patagonia. Representative of brand-operated recommerce programs (alongside Eileen Fisher Renew, Nudie Jeans) that compete with third-party collectors like Humana for brand take-back contracts and consumer donations.
• Vinted: Leading European online peer-to-peer secondhand clothing marketplace. Competes for the same donor/seller base and competes for higher-quality second-hand garment flow away from container-collection networks.

Others

• Erion Textiles: Italian Extended Producer Responsibility consortium for textile waste; partner of Humana Italia on the Raccogli-AMO in-store collection pilot in Naples and Turin. Acts as both an EPR-system counterparty and a key reference point for Italian EPR compliance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HUMANAITALIA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/humanaitalia
• Facebookfacebook.com/humanapeopletopeopleitalia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humana-people-to-people-italia
• Instagraminstagram.com/humana_it
• Pinterestpinterest.com/humanaitalia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Humana People to People Italia