Europe’s textile sector is tightening pressure on Brussels to bridge the widening gap between regulatory ambition and financial backing for recycling infrastructure. Twelve companies spanning the textile value chain have formed the European Circular Textile Coalition, calling for the EU to align upcoming waste and sustainability targets with tangible investment in recycling and manufacturing systems.
Operating under the banner “A world without waste is possible,” the coalition — which includes textile recycler Reju among its founding members — is pushing for a cohesive industrial strategy to turn post-consumer textile waste into an engine for green jobs, technological innovation, and competitiveness. The timing of the initiative reflects growing concerns across the industry that Europe’s current regulatory trajectory risks overburdening producers without creating the enabling conditions for circularity.
The coalition’s manifesto advocates for a circular textile economy rooted in scalable recycling and advanced materials recovery. Europe currently generates more than 5.2 million tonnes of textile waste annually, of which less than 1% is recycled into new textiles, according to the European Environment Agency. With the European Commission’s Textiles Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles targeting mandatory collection and waste reduction by 2025, industry leaders warn that regulatory pressure is outpacing infrastructure readiness.
The group argues that realizing circularity will require industrial-scale investments in fiber-to-fiber recycling, chemical depolymerization, and digital product tracking, alongside incentives for manufacturers to use recycled materials. Without such measures, the coalition warns, Europe risks offshoring both its waste and its innovation capacity — undermining the very objectives of the Green Deal.
Reju, a pioneer in closed-loop textile recycling, emphasized that circular transformation is as much about industrial competitiveness as it is about sustainability. The company noted that predictable policy frameworks, coupled with targeted funding, are crucial for scaling new recycling technologies beyond pilot projects.
The coalition’s agenda also highlights the potential for job creation and regional development through localized textile recovery and reprocessing hubs. By replacing linear, export-dependent waste flows with domestic value chains, the initiative envisions a model that enhances Europe’s material security while reducing environmental impact.
The post EU Urged to Bridge Policy and Investment Gaps in Textile Recycling, Says New Coalition first appeared on www.circularbusinessreview.com.
