Textile-to-textile recycling faces major economic and infrastructure barriers to achieving commercial scale

From the report

Textile-to-textile recycling has made significant technological progress but the industry still faces major economic and infrastructure barriers to achieving commercial scale, according to a 19-page report called “Textile-to-textile recycling: the business case”, from the global business information company Textiles Intelligence.

Executive attention to sustainability has declined as companies focus more closely on margins, budgets and investment returns. At the same time, climate change is affecting supply chains, raw material prices remain volatile, and regulations relating to textile waste and circularity are becoming more stringent. Consequently, sustainability is increasingly being viewed as a financial and strategic issue rather than solely an environmental one.

Textile-to-textile recycling can provide three main business benefits, namely: creating new revenue opportunities through circular products; reducing exposure to supply chain risks; and helping companies to comply with emerging regulations. However, the business case remains challenging because recycled fibres are generally more expensive than virgin alternatives and the infrastructure needed to collect, sort and process textile waste is still developing.