The Current Situation & Challenge
A recent study from the European Commission Directorate General for Environment shows that increasing textile-to-textile recycling in Europe can deliver major environmental benefits, and those benefits are exactly what Yooretex is helping brands achieve.
According to the study, moving the share of textile-to-textile recycling to just 10% could save 440,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year and conserve 8.8 billion m³ of water annually for the EU.
Today, only about 1% of discarded textiles are recycled directly into new textile fibres. Most textile recycling actually involves “down-cycling” into lower-grade products (like insulation) rather than fabric for new garments.The study projects that with scale-up of fibre-to-fibre recycling technology, that rate could reach up to 26% by 2030.
What the research found
Researchers at the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute analysed scenarios in which textile-to-textile recycling was increased to 10% by around 2035. Their life-cycle analysis showed that:
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There's a 92% chance that increasing textile-to-textile recycling to 10% will reduce climate impacts, and nearly 100% chance it will reduce water scarcity impacts.
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On average, the shift would reduce climate impact by ~0.5% (≈ 440,000 tonnes CO₂ eq/year) and reduce water-scarcity impact by over 3%, or about 8.8 billion m³ equivalent.
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Key drivers for impact reduction include increased textile collection & sorting, increased recycling, reduced fibre production from virgin resources, and avoiding incineration/landfill.
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One caveat: implementing this at scale requires recycling technologies to improve (to ensure recycled fibre can compete with virgin fibre), and improved collection/sorting systems across regions.
By working with Yooretex, brands gain:
An alternative to virgin-fibre production, helping reduce resource usage and carbon emissions.
Access to fabrics where the material loop is closed within the textile system (rather than relying on bottle-to-textile or down-cycling).
Support navigating the practicalities of T2T adoption — from sourcing textile waste, recycling processes, to fabric delivery and quality assurance.
Ready to make the change?
If your brand is ready to step into true textile circularity, Yooretex is here to help you switch to textile-to-textile solutions that deliver both environmental- and business-value. Get in touch and let's explore how you can become part of a system where fibres are recycled into new fabrics, not down-cycled into lesser uses. Please get in touch with our team for FREE SAMPLE SWATCH and email: alexandre.relogio@yooretex.com.Let's build a textile future that works for people, brands and the planet.
Reference:
<Study highlights positive environmental impacts of increasing textile-to-textile recycling rates in the EU.>