Call to arms for textile recycling

Category: SUSTAINABILITY

Country: Belgium

Region: Europe

Textile recyclers in Europe are urging a series of measures to boost circularity in the sector, including more recycling and an increased use of secondary fibres.

By Robin Latchem
29th March, 2025

Textile recyclers in Europe are urging a series of measures to boost circularity in the sector, including more recycling and an increased use of secondary fibres.

The Textiles branch of EuRIC, representing Europe’s textile reuse and recycling operators, has unveiled ‘An EU Recyclers’ Manifesto: Increasing Textiles Circularity by 2030’.  The manifesto highlights ‘an unprecedented crisis’ facing Europe’s textile collection and recycling sector, worsened by rising costs, low demand and the impact of ultra-fast fashion.

Urgent measures are called for with each EU citizen generating around 16 kg of textile waste annually, of which only 4.4 kg is separately collected for reuse and recycling.

Five key policy recommendations are set out in the manifesto. To address these and achieve textiles circularity by 2030, EuRIC is calling for extended product lifecycles, increased use of recycled textile fibres and greater textile recycling, which is currently limited to less than 1% of materials being recycled into new clothing.

Rewarding circularity
The EU is urged to implement extended producer responsibility schemes, eco-design requirements and better education through digital product passports. The manifesto also calls for EU End-of-Waste criteria, fair-trade practices, balanced chemicals legislation and stricter compliance monitoring to ensure transparency and prevent greenwashing.

‘By creating an environment where innovation thrives and circularity is rewarded, EuRIC aims to reduce the textile sector’s environmental impact, boost textile circularity in Europe, and create new economic opportunities for reuse and recycling operators,’ says Mariska Boer, president of EuRIC’s textiles branch. ‘Our Textiles Manifesto outlines the steps to achieve this.’

Courtesy: recyclinginternational.com/