Textile Recycling Market

Updated on : March 11, 2025

Textile Recycling Market

The global textile recycling market was valued at USD 6.9 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 9.4 billion by 2027, growing at a cagr 6.4% from 2022 to 2027. The textile waste is the 2nd-biggest pollution industry. High-quality clothes are made of natural fibers, such as cotton, silk, wool, linen, and leather. Nowadays, yarn medleys such as polyesters, stretch, nylon, and other filler fabrics are seen in garments. Today, synthetic fibers—non-biodegradable and made of plastic-make up more than 72% of clothing. The average life span of garments is three years; therefore, textiles produce much waste.

Textile Recycling Market Forecast & Trends

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COVID-19 Impact

Covid-19 pandemic had adverse effects on the textile industry. Shortage of infrastructure, manpower, disruptions in supply chain, lack of preparedness, and many other factors were responsible for the decline in textile industry functioning. The practices were not robust enough of handle such disruptions in supply chain, infrastructure, manpower and others. This resulted in loss of stability in textile & apparel sector.

Textile Recycling Market Dynamics

Driver: High Emissions of Greenhouse Gases

Textile production and consumption have significant environmental, climate, and social impacts due to the consumption of resources (water, land, and chemicals), the emission of greenhouse gases, and pollutants. Various types of greenhouse gases are emitted during the production, manufacturing, and transportation of textile products. 8-10% of the world's annual CO2 emissions come from the apparel industry. The apparel industry is considered one of the most polluting industries due to its huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The clothing industry released about 1.01 gigatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in 2019. Unless drastic measures are taken, this is estimated to increase to 1.6 gigatons by 2030. At this pace, the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions will surge by more than 50% by 2030.

Restrain: Usage of harmful chemical

Textile production requires a wide range of chemicals for garments at one or more stages of textile production, irrespective of the textile fiber type, the processes used, and the color of the garment. Most of the dyes and chemicals used are synthetic and not readily biodegradable. The effluents from these processes are highly polluting and hazardous and are discharged into bodies of water without proper treatment. Gaseous wastes from the textile industry, including solvent vapors such as ammonia and formaldehyde, are commonly diffused into the atmosphere.

Opportunity: Growing adoption of circular industry

Textile brands strive to use sustainable and responsibly sourced materials, use more recycled materials, and move to a circular system. The textile & apparel industry is expected to consume up to 25% of the global carbon budget by 2050. Textile chains use various chemicals and pollutants and consume enormous amounts of water and energy. Textile recycling, an important part of the textile and clothing circular economy, has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and free up valuable land for other uses. To this end, several countries plan to increase recycling and reduce textile waste.

Challenge: Fast fashion

Fast fashion refers to the mass production of inexpensive clothing in response to the latest trends and fashionable designs. It has recently gained popularity due to cheap manufacturing and a large labor force. Fast fashion has a negative impact on the environment and is reportedly unethical in terms of production. In the past decade, fast fashion has replaced slow fashion, machine embroidery has replaced hand embroidery, and synthetic fabrics have replaced biodegradable clothing. The price of clothing has fallen, making it a frequent purchase from the need to demand.

Polyester & polyester fiber accounted for the largest share amongst other material in the textile recycling market

Polyester fiber is the most widely manufactured polymer. It is preferred in manufacturing apparel as it is heat-sensitive, highly stain-resistant, and easy to clean. Due to rising demand from the apparel sector, the usage of recycled polyester in clothes is increased.

Post-consumer accounted for the largest market share amongst other textile waste in the textile recycling market

The post-consumer textile waste consists of damaged, discarded, worn-out, and out-of-fashion clothes. Any apparel discarded by a consumer fall under the post-consumer textile waste category. With ever-changing fashion trends and new demands, textile waste has become a major concern and threat to future generations. Landfills are full of piles of unwanted, discarded clothes.

Chemical process is projected to account for the highest CAGR, in terms of value, during the forecast period

Chemical textile recycling adopts a succession of synthetic processes to depolymerize/annul the fiber from the fiber into monomer/solvent form either to form a more recent fiber compound of it or extract the individual compound from a join. The crop output is usually of the same quality as their virgin counterparts, accompanying no deficit in material possessions through the reusing process.

Chemical recycling offers the potential to create fiber of equal or higher quality. It involves chemically processing materials to fully recover raw materials that went into it. In this way, it offers the possibility for high-value recycling.

Online channel is expected to be the second largest textile recycling distribution channel in 2021 amongst others.

Online retailing is growing rapidly, with online sales accounting for around one-quarter of the total market. Retailers who ignore e-commerce may see their trade lessening as customers increasingly order products online. Online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon allow anyone to set up a simple online shop and sell products within minutes. In addition, selling online can remove the need for expensive retail premises and customer-facing staff, allowing to invest in better marketing and customer experience on the e-commerce site.

Apparel accounted for the largest market share amongst other end-use industry in the textile recycling market

Apparel is a broad term used for clothing. It includes outerwear, garments, attires, raiment, clothes, dresses, garbs, costumes, habiliments, and vestures. The high growth in these markets will be primarily driven by economic growth and increasing disposable income. The growth in the apparel sector is estimated to boost the demand for textile recycling. The apparel, such as worn-out jeans and production scraps, are processed to dissolving pulp.

Asia Pacific is projected to be the largest and fastest growing in the textile recycling market during the forecast period.

Asia Pacific is the largest market for textile recycling. The Asia Pacific market is segmented into China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Rest of Asia Pacific. China is estimated to be the largest market in the region. Asia Pacific is one of the biggest hubs of the textile and garment industry. The region’s strong industrial base, awareness about the environmental impact of waste, depletion of raw materials, and heavy industrial discharges from mills have driven the demand for textile recycling.

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Textile Recycling Market Players

The key players in the textile recycling market include Lenzing AG (Austria), Birla Cellulose (India), HYOSUNG TNC (South Korea), Unifi, Inc. (US), and Patagonia, Inc. (US) among others. The textile recycling market report analyzes the key growth strategies, such as new product launches, investments & expansions, joint ventures, agreements, partnerships, and mergers & acquisitions adopted by the leading market players between 2019 and 2022.

Read More: Textile Recycling Companies

Textile Recycling Market Report Scope

This research report categorizes the textile recycling market based on material, textile waste, distribution channel, process, end-use industry, and region.

Textile Recycling Market by Material:

• Cotton
• Polyester & Polyester Fiber
• Wool
• Nylon & Nylon Fiber
• Others

Textile Recycling Market by Textile Waste:

• Pre-consumer
• Post-consumer

Textile Recycling Market by Distribution Channel:

• Online
• Retail & Departmental Stores

Textile Recycling Market by Process:

• Mechanical
• Chemical

Textile Recycling Market by End-use Industry:

• Apparel
• Home Furnishings
• Industrial & Institutional
• Others

Textile Recycling Market by Region:

• North America
• Aisa Pacific
• Europe
• Middle East & Africa
• South America

Recent Developments in Textile Recycling Market

• In October 2022, Lenzing AG partnered with CISUTAC (Circular and Sustainable Textile and Clothing) a project co-founded by EU. By this partnership, Lenzing AG is focusing on scaling up the production of recycling textile waste.
• In March 2022, HYOSUNG TNC signed an agreement with TOPTEN, to work together for the development of good-quality eco-friendly products. HYOSUNG TNC will supply diverse eco-friendly material using Regen and TOPTEN will introduce a collection of cost-effective, eco-friendly clothes using it, including activewear like Balance.
• In November 2022, Renewcell has collaborated with Eastman, to develop Naia Renew ES yarns derived from circulose, Renewcell’s recycled textile raw material.
• In April 2022, Saint-Gobain plans to spend USD 32 million toward upgrading the CertainTeed’s Chowchilla glass wool plant in California. It is the largest investment in the site since its creation in 1978. Saint-Gobain Group estimates that upgradation will reduce CO2 emissions by 4000t/yr at the site.
• In May 2022, the TRI Group acquired Soex UK, a Gatwick based collector of textiles with operations throughout Britain. This acquisition has strengthened the company’s geographical footprint in Europe.

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