Textile Waste Recycling Statistics

The US EPA estimated 2.9 million tons of textiles were recycled in 2012 [1]

The US EPA estimated 9.8 million tons of textiles were landfilled in 2012 [1]

The US EPA estimated 14.9 million tons of textiles were generated in 2012 [1]

The US EPA estimated 2.6 million tons of textiles were recycled in 2014 [1]

The US EPA estimated 8.5 million tons of textiles were landfilled in 2014 [1]

The US EPA estimated 17 million tons of textiles were generated in 2014 [1]

In the EU, 30% of textiles are collected for reuse/recycling [2]

In the EU, 25% of textiles are reused [2]

In the EU, 5% of textiles are recycled into other products [2]

In the EU, 70% of discarded textiles are exported for reuse (where possible) or disposed [2]

Only 1% of apparel is recycled into new apparel in the EU [3]

In the EU, 76% of collected textiles are treated as waste rather than reused [2]

Textile collection in the EU in 2018 was around 2.6 kg per person per year [2]

Textile collection in the EU in 2019 was about 3.0 kg per person [3]

In Germany, textile collection rate was 52% in 2019 [4]

In Germany, 2018 collection of textiles was 1.24 million tonnes [4]

In Germany, 2018 reuse rate was 32% of collected textiles [4]

In Germany, 2018 recycling rate was 28% of collected textiles [4]

In the Netherlands, 2019 textile collection was 2.1 kg per person [5]

In the Netherlands, 2018 textile reuse and recycling achieved 73% of collected textiles [6]

In Sweden, textile collection was 5.5 kg per person in 2019 [7]

In Sweden, 2019 reuse and recycling combined for textiles was 64% [8]

In Denmark, textile collection for reuse/recycling was 6.0 kg per person in 2018 [9]

In Denmark, textiles recycled in 2018 were 35% of collected textiles [10]

In Finland, textile collection was 4.0 kg per person in 2019 [11]

In Finland, textile recycling reached 33% of collected textiles in 2019 [12]

In Norway, textile collection was 5.1 kg per person in 2018 [13]

In Norway, textile recycling was 31% of collected textiles in 2018 [14]

In the UK, 2018/19 textile reuse and recycling rate was 25% [15]

In the UK, 2018/19 textile recycling of clothing and household textiles was 39% [15]

In the UK, 2018/19 textile collection was 1.2 million tonnes [15]

In France, textile collection rate was 6.7 kg per person in 2019 [16]

In France, 2019 textile recycling rate was 33% of collected [16]

In Germany, 55% of textile waste is collected through donation systems [4]

In the EU, fiber-to-fiber recycling capacity is limited; only about 1% of textiles are fiber recycled [2]

In the UK, 337,000 tonnes of textiles were recycled in 2017 [15]

In the UK, 515,000 tonnes of textiles were sent to landfill in 2017 [15]

In the US, textiles recovered for recycling were 2.6 million tons in 2014 [1]

In the US, textiles recovered for recycling were 2.4 million tons in 2018 [1]

In the EU, the share of textiles recycled mechanically was 15% of collected textiles (approx.) [3]

In the EU, the share of textiles recycled chemically was less than 1% of collected textiles [3]

In the EU, collection targets in voluntary schemes vary; common target is 65% collection by 2025 [17]

Life-cycle impacts of textile recycling depend on avoided virgin fiber; mechanical recycling often yields lower impacts than disposal [18]

Mechanically recycled polyester generally has lower greenhouse gas emissions than virgin polyester in multiple studies [19]

Chemical recycling (solvolysis) can recover monomers but has energy requirements; reported GHG benefits depend on energy source [20]

The EU Joint Research Centre report indicates that recycling can significantly reduce impacts compared with landfilling/incineration [21]

Incineration of textiles leads to direct CO2 emissions; avoided emissions from recycling depend on the substituted material [3]

Reuse extends product lifetime; each additional use cycle reduces environmental burden per use [2]

Producing cotton requires far more water than recycling textile fibers; studies report multi-hundred liter water savings per recycled kg [22]

Recycling into lower-grade uses can reduce GHG savings versus fiber-to-fiber recycling [3]

The EU Ecolabel guidance states recycled polyester can reduce climate change impacts compared to virgin when recycled feedstock avoids virgin production [23]

Recycled fibers reduce demand for raw materials and associated extraction impacts [24]

Textile recycling can reduce microfibre pollution by improving capture in downstream treatment (varies by process) [3]

Sorting improves recyclate quality and reduces contamination leading to better environmental outcomes [25]

Polymer type affects recyclability; increasing polyester recovery can yield greater impact reductions per kg [26]

European Commission impact assessment estimates that higher reuse/recycling would reduce environmental impacts including GHG emissions [27]

Reduced incineration through recycling decreases particulate matter emissions [3]

Reuse of clothing can reduce climate impacts when multiple additional wears occur beyond break-even [24]

A study in EU JRC highlights that system expansion drives LCA results for recycling [28]

For fiber-to-fiber recycling, higher purity feedstock improves yield and reduces losses [29]

Textile dyeing impacts can be reduced by using recycled fibers in some pathways [3]

Recycling reduces reliance on virgin petrochemical feedstocks for synthetic fibers [26]

Higher recovery rates reduce landfill methane potential [2]

The EU EEA report notes textiles contribute to pollution including microplastics, and recycling can mitigate some sources [2]

Chemical recycling can enable circularity for blended fabrics but requires chemicals and energy [20]

Mechanical downcycling may still reduce impacts versus disposal due to avoided virgin material [19]

Recycling effectiveness depends on consumer sorting compliance and contamination rates [3]

Policy scenarios in EU impact assessment quantify reduced environmental pressures from increased recycling and reuse [27]

The EEA identifies that reducing textile waste can also reduce pressure on ecosystems from extraction and processing [3]

Textile recycling reduces freshwater withdrawals per functional unit when it displaces virgin fiber production [22]

Recycling can reduce eutrophication potential via avoided chemical production and dyeing [30]

EEA states that most textiles are landfilled or incinerated which increases environmental impacts relative to recycling [2]

Studies report that fiber-to-fiber recycling offers greatest environmental benefits but is constrained by collection and technology maturity [3]

EU JRC indicates contamination reduces recyclate yield which affects environmental results [31]

Global textile waste generated was 92 million tonnes in 2015 [24]

Global textile waste projected to reach 134 million tonnes by 2030 [24]

Global textile waste projected to reach 195 million tonnes by 2050 [24]

In the EU, textiles discarded were 5.8 million tonnes in 2010 [32]

In the EU, textiles discarded were 5.2 million tonnes in 2014 [32]

In the EU, textiles discarded were 6.2 million tonnes in 2017 [32]

Total EU textile waste generation was estimated at 16.3 million tonnes in 2015 [2]

Total EU textile waste generation was estimated at 12.6 million tonnes in 2010 [2]

The EU produces about 6% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions from textiles [3]

The EU generates about 5.8 million tonnes of textile waste each year [2]

Clothing and textiles discarded in the EU in 2018 were 11.5 kg per person per year [3]

Reuse and recycling rates vary by country; EU collection rate for textiles in 2019 was about 40% [2]

In the US, textile waste generation was 17 million tons in 2014 [33]

In the US, textile waste generation was 14.9 million tons in 2012 [34]

In the US, 2018 textile materials generated were 16.1 million tons [35]

In the UK, textile waste was 1.3 million tonnes in 2018 [15]

In the UK, textiles sent to landfill were 880,000 tonnes in 2019 [15]

In Germany, textile waste generated was about 1.2 million tonnes in 2018 [4]

In France, textile waste generated was about 1.0 million tonnes in 2017 [36]

In Japan, textile waste generation was about 1.1 million tonnes in 2017 [37]

In China, textile waste generation was about 10 million tonnes in 2016 [38]

In India, textile waste generation was estimated at 5.0 million tonnes in 2016 [38]

Global textile collection (for reuse and recycling) was 25% of total waste in 2019 [39]

Global textile reuse and recycling share was about 10% in 2015 [24]

Only 1% of apparel materials is recycled into new apparel in the EU [3]

In the EU, 87% of discarded textiles are not reused or recycled [2]

In Europe, textile waste is growing by about 2% per year [3]

In the US, textiles are the second-largest contributor to landfill waste by weight [1]

In the EU, textiles account for 4% of municipal waste by weight [17]

In the EU, the textiles and clothing sector generates about 2.5 million tonnes of waste annually [2]

Global clothing consumption increased from 62 million tonnes (2000) to 102 million tonnes (2019) [24]

By 2030, EU textile demand is projected to rise to 16.6 million tonnes [40]

By 2030, clothing demand is projected to increase by 63% globally [41]

In the EU, textiles used per capita increased from 12 kg in 2004 to 14 kg in 2010 [42]

In the EU, 2020 textiles waste generated was 10.0 million tonnes [2]

In the EU, textiles waste diverted from landfill (as measured) was 42% in 2018 [3]

In the UK, 1.9 million tonnes of textiles were discarded in 2018 [15]

In the UK, 33% of textiles were recycled in 2018 [15]

In France, 1.1 million tonnes of textiles were discarded in 2019 [36]

In France, 26% of textiles were collected for recycling in 2019 [36]

In Germany, 60% of collected textiles are sent for recycling [4]

In Germany, 1.2 million tonnes of textiles were collected in 2018 [4]

In Spain, 0.5 million tonnes of textiles were collected in 2018 [43]

In Spain, 20% of collected textiles were recycled in 2018 [43]

In Sweden, 0.3 million tonnes of textiles were collected in 2019 [44]

In Sweden, 29% of textiles were recycled in 2019 [44]

In Australia, textile waste generated was 0.9 million tonnes in 2018 [45]

In Canada, textile waste generated was 0.5 million tonnes in 2018 [46]

In Brazil, textile waste generated was about 1.2 million tonnes in 2017 [47]

In South Africa, textile waste generated was about 0.6 million tonnes in 2018 [48]

EU Textile Strategy target: make textiles on EU market durable, reusable, recyclable by 2030 [49]

EU Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles requirement is part of the EU proposal [49]

EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products (ESPR) framework covers textiles with digital product passport requirements for certain products [50]

European Parliament adoption of textiles regulation is underway with key recycling and waste targets [51]

Proposed EU target: ensure separate collection of textiles by end of 2025 [49]

Proposed EU target: by 2030, 55% of textiles should be recycled [49]

Proposed EU target: by 2030, 20% of textiles should be collected separately for reuse [49]

UK government ambition: recycle or reuse all textiles by 2040 (end of 2040 target) [52]

UK EPR for packaging and textiles; UK has consultation on textiles EPR covering costs for collection and recycling [53]

France has extended producer responsibility schemes for textiles; CITEO/eco-organizations operate collection systems at scale [54]

Germany’s VerpackG style EPR model exists; textiles have deposit and collection rules under dual system participation [55]

In 2020, EU funding for textile circularity via Horizon 2020 and successor includes multiple projects under calls [56]

European Commission Circular Economy Action Plan includes measures addressing textiles reuse and recycling [57]

EU Commission impact assessment describes economic benefits of circular textiles, including reduced waste management costs [27]

Microfibers washing contributes to pollution; policy includes measures to reduce shedding [49]

Extended producer responsibility is expected to increase collection rates and recycling [49]

US EPA notes textiles recycling challenges and that textiles are hard to recycle due to contamination and blends [1]

US EPA estimates only 15% of textiles are recycled [1]

Textile recycling businesses rely on commodity value of recyclates; reported market volatility affects demand [24]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation reports that only 1% of used clothing is recycled back into new clothing [58]

EU targets include achieving high separate collection; the strategy calls for separate collection of textiles where feasible [49]

The EU strategy aims for a market where waste is avoided and recycled content increases [49]

The EU’s ESPR provides for digital product passports for relevant products including textiles [59]

The EU’s Waste Framework Directive requires separate collection and improved recycling targets [60]

Under the EU waste hierarchy, prevention and reuse are prioritized over recycling [60]

In the EU, recycling targets for municipal waste are 55% by 2025, providing context for textiles [60]

EIB supports circular economy investments including recycling infrastructure that can include textiles [61]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation states that the textile industry is linear with only about 12% reused/recycled [58]

The Global Fashion Agenda reports that policy and regulation are drivers for increasing recycling rates in Europe [62]

The OECD report cites that textile recycling faces economic barriers from low fiber prices and cost of sorting [24]

Sorting and processing costs are a key barrier to scaling fiber-to-fiber recycling [24]

Without policy, market incentives for recycling are weak; extended producer responsibility aims to address this [49]

Polyester monofilament recycled via melt-spinning is produced at pilot yields above 70% in some trials [63]

Mechanical downcycling typically produces short fibers suitable for nonwovens [64]

Chemical recycling routes for polyester can recover monomers (e.g., PTA/DMT) which can be repolymerized [65]

Solvolysis of PET textile waste can produce high purity monomers in optimized conditions [66]

Recovered cotton fibers can be reused in blending for new textiles [67]

Thermal treatment can separate fibers and remove finishes to improve recyclability [68]

Textile-to-textile recycling requires removing dyes and finishing chemicals to meet quality specs [69]

Blended fabric recycling remains challenging; yield reductions occur due to incompatible polymers [2]

Chemical recycling can handle blends better than mechanical recycling in some processes [70]

Recycling feedstock preparation (sorting by fiber content) is critical for output quality [71]

NIR sorting can identify polymer type for recycling at high accuracy levels (often >90% in deployments) [72]

Dyestuff removal process efficiency determines regenerated fiber quality [73]

Mechanical recycling process outputs commonly include 2-20 mm fiber lengths depending on shredding parameters [74]

Recycling to nonwovens includes needle-punching and carding steps, yielding materials for insulation and wipes [75]

Wet processing and purification steps are required for cellulosic fiber regeneration [76]

Regenerated cellulose can be spun into viscose/rayon-like fibers depending on process chemistry [77]

Hydrothermal pretreatment can improve fiber accessibility before dissolution in chemical recycling [78]

Some PET glycolysis processes report conversion efficiencies above 90% for PET waste under optimized conditions [79]

Catalysts used in chemical recycling impact both conversion rate and downstream purity; conversion targets often exceed 80% [80]

Recycling plants can recover usable fibers after scouring and shredding; reported mass yields often around 60-80% depending on feedstock [81]

Output from fiber recycling is typically lower grade; blending ratios such as 30-70% recycled fraction are common to meet strength requirements [82]

Recycled polyester used in apparel commonly blends 10-30% recycled content to ensure performance [83]

Mechanical recycling throughput in industrial lines can be several tonnes per day [84]

Chemical recycling capacity in pilot plants is typically in the range of 1,000-10,000 tonnes/year [85]

Sortation systems separate by fiber type to enable fiber-to-fiber recycling pathways [86]

Textile-to-textile recycling depends on contamination removal; even small contamination can reduce spinning performance [87]

For enzymatic recycling of cellulose, process yields can be limited by substrate accessibility; reported yields vary [88]

In thermal depolymerization of synthetic blends, composition determines conversion to monomers [89]

Pilot studies of textile-to-textile recycling show significant yield loss at every preprocessing step (sorting, cleaning, shredding) [90]

Some steel shredders produce particle size distributions that correlate with downcycling level [91]

Nonwoven recycling outputs often require 1-5 denier fibers; blends adjust denier to meet specs [92]

Recycled fibers for insulation boards can be produced at densities around 30-150 kg/m3 depending on binder [93]

Regenerated cellulose can be spun into fibers with similar fineness to virgin depending on process control [94]