European Circular Textile Coalition Calls for Stronger EU Recycling Policies
Amsterdam, Thursday, 16 October 2025.
The European Circular Textile Coalition urges the EU to enhance recycling investments to align with sustainability goals, addressing textile waste challenges across Europe.
Urgent Call for Sustainable Policy Integration
The European Circular Textile Coalition, a newly formed alliance, has made a strong appeal to the European Union to integrate more stringent recycling policies with existing sustainability ambitions. This coalition comprises twelve companies, including Reju, a French materials regeneration company, alongside other prominent players such as Ariadne and Coleo. Their manifesto emphasizes the need to transform post-consumer textile waste into a catalyst for green jobs and innovation [1][2].
Current Recycling Challenges in Europe
Europe produces approximately 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste annually, yet less than 1% is recycled into new garments. The coalition warns that without substantial investment in recycling infrastructure, even the most progressive regulatory frameworks will fail to achieve their full potential. The current waste management paradigm mainly sees textiles ending up in landfills, being incinerated, or exported, which is no longer sustainable [1][2].
Proposed Policy Pillars for Change
The coalition’s manifesto outlines three critical policy pillars to reshape the textile industry. Firstly, it advocates for relocating textile production to Europe to enhance the competitiveness of the EU value chain. This move is intended to uphold environmental and labor standards. Secondly, it stresses the importance of prioritizing high-quality textile-to-textile recycling, which would position post-consumer waste as the primary feedstock for new materials. Lastly, the introduction of mandatory recycled content in textiles is urged, aiming for achievable targets that will be phased in over time [2][3].
The Role of Innovation and Collaboration
The coalition, led by Reju, is actively seeking to engage more industry players in its mission to revolutionize the textile sector. According to Reju’s CEO, Patrik Frisk, collaboration is crucial for systemic change, and voluntary efforts have proven insufficient. The organization has launched an advocacy tour to garner support from policymakers across Europe. This initiative underscores the necessity for binding standards that would stimulate demand for recycled materials, thereby fostering a circular economy within the textile industry [2][3].