Additional Information on Textile-to-Textile Recycling

Although an estimated seven million tonnes of textiles are discarded in the EU every year, the amount of post-consumer recycled material in textiles, i.e. textile-to-textile recycled yarns, is currently virtually zero (EEA, 2024). The Dutch government is therefore examining the viability of making a minimum percentage of post-consumer textile-to-textile recyclate mandatory for new textiles, and is seeking information to develop policy that encourages the production of textile-to-textile recycling. By means of five research questions this report analyses current developments and requirements for the near future:

1. Does Europe currently have sufficient recycling capacity to achieve the most optimal scenario, or how much additional capacity is needed?
2. What recycling capacity has been lost recently?
3. What sorting categories do recyclers need for recycling?
4. What innovations in recycling technologies are available or needed to enable higher percentages of textile-to-textile recyclate?
5. Where is the market for certain recyclers, and are there agreements whereby larger retailers have exclusive purchasing rights?