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Textiles sector: building
feedstock, stocking up on hope
Forward-thinking entrepreneurs are determined to transform textile recycling from a shrinking niche market into a
dynamic success story. If bottles can be recycled into new bottles, surely the same can be true for clothes – with a little
extra effort?
2026
TEXTILES
C
onsumers around the world buy around
219 million new items of clothing every
day – that’s more than 2 500 per second.
Or 80 billion products a year. This generates
92 million tonnes of textile waste per annum,
of which only around 15% is recycled. This
doesn’t mean recyclers aren’t making pro-
gress, although they’re beating a tough path
to change the curve.
Huge opportunity
Market analysts report the worldwide tex-
tiles recycling industry was worth EUR 5.2
billion in 2024 and is likely to reach EUR 8.5
billion by 2034. With the sheer volume of ma-
terial on the market on the rise, mostly due
to fast fashion, there are major challenges to
overcome. These include:
• outdated collection infrastructure
• insufficient grade sorting on-site
• insufficient processing capacity
• lower quality garments
• mixed textiles, notably poly-cotton blends
• cost of modern recycling solutions
• incineration of recyclable textiles
• unverified textiles exported as reuse goods
• absence of rigorous extended producer
responsibility regimes to boost recycled
content
Connecting the dots
Much would come from more investment
in pre-sorting and identification technology,
according to UK-based textiles recycling ex-
pert and consultant Dawn Dungate. ‘Without
well-funded collection, sorting and training
systems in place, the recycling industry won’t
have the quality feedstock it needs. What’s
also missing is proper recognition and sup-
port for grassroots efforts. It’s all connected.’
The question remains: what will feedstock
look like in the coming years? The EU’s mini-
mum recycled content targets are 7.5% for
2025 and 16.5% for 2030 but will producers
be willing and able to get on board? In a mar-
ket known for ‘greenwashing’ and ‘cloak and
dagger’ strategies, Dungate remains only cau-
tiously optimistic about capitalising on the
market’s potential.
‘Textiles recycling is not yet affordable and
it won’t be unless demand is driven through
regulatory pressure and clear incentives,’ she
says. ‘Until then, most of the industry will be
stuck in pilot mode and real change remains
just out of reach. But there is some light at the
end of the tunnel for recyclers.’
She observes that France’s strategic ap-
proach is the one to watch due to its exten-
sive EPR framework run by non-profit group
Refashion. The Netherlands, meanwhile, is
Fibre-to-fibre recycling is gaining momentum now ‘chemistry is finally meeting commercial viability’.
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