Coalition to drive industry-wide textile recycling capacity

A group of leading textile and apparel companies has formed the European Circular Textile Coalition, an industry alliance aimed at building fibre-to-fibre recycling capacity across Europe.

The coalition, comprising 12 firms spanning textile production, recycling technology and materials innovation, will coordinate investment and policy engagement as the sector prepares for the EU’s extended producer responsibility requirements due in 2026.

Brands and retailers will be financially responsible for the collection, sorting and recycling of end-of-life textiles placed on the EU market.

Priorities

Europe currently generates around 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste each year, yet less than 1% is recycled back into new fibres. Most discarded clothing is exported, downcycled or sent to landfill, largely because of insufficient recycling infrastructure and inconsistent collection systems across member states. The coalition’s priorities include:

• establishing a harmonised collection framework to improve the quality of post-consumer textile feedstock
• scaling both mechanical and chemical recycling routes for polyester and cotton
• promoting design-for-recycling standards to ensure new garments can be more easily processed at end-of-life.

Collective aims

Coalition spokesperson Sophie van der Meer says the initiative reflects a shared recognition the sector must act collectively to meet circularity targets.

‘We cannot close the loop through isolated projects. Europe needs a coordinated value chain, from design through sorting and recycling, to turn waste textiles into new raw materials at scale.’Commercial viability remains a significant hurdle. Chemical recycling plants require major upfront investment, while recycled fibres typically cost more than virgin materials. The coalition is therefore expected to lobby for EU-level incentives, such as recycled-content mandates and funding under the Circular Economy Action Plan, to help de-risk early projects.

Roadmap

The coalition is expected to publish its initial roadmap early in 2026, outlining regional infrastructure priorities, pilot projects and financing mechanisms intended to accelerate Europe’s transition toward a closed-loop textile system.

Its members are: Reju, Resortecs, COLEO, Tissage de Charlieu, Synergies TLC, Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, Sympany, European Spinning Group, Ariadne, Erdotex, Utexbel and Noyfil.