The world is on the brink of textile overload. While fashion may seem to be about beauty, style, and self-expression, behind the industry’s glossy facade lie mountains of waste, toxic chemicals, billions of wasted resources, and real threats to human health and the planet. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), the textile sector has become one of the most environmentally harmful industries. But through textile recycling, we can change this reality.
Textile Consumption in the EU: A Worrying Trend
In 2022, the average EU citizen consumed 19 kg of textile products — a 15% increase compared to 2010. Breakdown:
• 8 kg – clothing
• 7 kg – home textiles
• 4 kg – footwear
Although household spending on textiles has remained stable at 5%, overall consumption is rising — partly due to the doubling of online sales, from 5% in 2009 to 11% in 2022.
The Scale of Environmental Impact
1. Raw Materials
• In 2022, the EU consumed 234 million tonnes of raw materials
• That’s 523 kg per person, ranking 5th among all consumption categories
• Two-thirds of raw materials were sourced from outside Europe
2. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• 159 million tonnes CO₂e annually (355 kg/person) — equal to 1,800 km of car travel
• 70% of emissions occur outside the EU
• Emissions dropped –22% since 2010, despite rising consumption
3. Water Use
• 5.3 billion m³ of “blue” water consumed — 12 m³/person
• Major driver: cotton farming
• Water intensity fell by –15%, but total usage remained stable
4. Land Use
• 144,000 km² of land used (323 m²/person)
• >80% of the impact occurs outside the EU
• Land use increased by just +3%, while land intensity fell –10%
Textile Waste
• In 2022, the EU generated 6.94 million tonnes of textile waste — 16 kg/person
• Only 15% was separately collected; the rest went into mixed household waste
• 4–9% of new textile products are destroyed before use — up to 594,000 tonnes/year
• Incineration rose from 10% (2010) to 14% (2022); landfilling decreased to 12%
Starting in 2025, the EU will introduce mandatory separate textile waste collection, with the potential to change the landscape — if backed by efficient sorting and recycling infrastructure.
Used Textile Exports: Outsourcing the Problem
• Export volumes of used textiles have tripled since 2000 — from 550,000 to 1.4 million tonnes
• Top importers in 2023: Pakistan (13%), UAE (12%), India (7%)
• In Africa, textiles are either resold or dumped/burned
• In Asia, they are often re-exported or end up in landfills
• In reality, the environmental burden is simply shifted from the EU to the Global South
Chemical Risks and Microplastics
• Textile products often contain banned chemicals (PFAS, heavy metals) that violate REACH standards
• PFAS are toxic, nearly non-degradable, harmful to health, and complicate recycling
• Synthetic fibers are the 4th largest source of microplastic pollution in Europe
Recycling as a Strategic Response
What circularity achieves:
• –22% in emissions, –24% in raw material use, –15% in water, –10% in land use — already achieved through efficiency
• But these gains are offset by growing consumption
• Therefore, recycling, reuse, repair, and circular design are essential to real change
The EU Strategy
• By 2030, textiles in the EU must include a mandatory share of recycled fibers
• Priority: no used textile should end up in landfill or incineration
• Supported by ESPR, REACH, the Basel Convention, and the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
The Role of Recycling in the New Textile Model
The data is clear: without textile recycling, it’s impossible to solve the crisis of overproduction, toxic waste, and unsustainable consumption. Companies investing in sorting, mechanical defibration, recycling, and reuse are the key players in transforming the industry.
From landfill to fiber. From incineration to innovation. From overconsumption to conscious use.
At Re:inventex, we are proud to be part of this transformation. We don’t just recycle textiles — we give textile waste a second chance.
