Techno-scientific assessment of the management options for used and waste textiles in the European Union

The EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles envisages “a circular textiles ecosystem that has sufficient capacities for innovative fibre-to-fibre recycling, while the incineration and landfilling of textiles is reduced to the minimum”. The general objective of this study is to summarise the techno-scientific knowledge base of different recycling, recovery and disposal options for waste textiles. First, it is indicated that post-consumer textile waste is the largest waste fraction, and that annually more than 8 million tonnes used and waste textiles are incinerated or landfilled, a much higher share than re-use, preparing for re-use and recycling together. Textile waste recycling is limited and currently dominated by transforming apparel and home textiles into cleaning rags and insulation materials, but closed-loop recycling facilities are emerging in the EU, particularly for post-industrial textile waste. Second, the life cycle assessment and cost analysis indicated that re-use and preparing for re-use are the most cost-effective options and have the best environmental performance. Whereas recycling is associated to greater costs than incineration and landfilling, it commonly brings supplementary environmental savings. Third, economic and non-economic barriers to recycling, particularly closed-loop recycling were identified. The information provided in this report may contribute to informing policy design and implementation on textile waste management.