Tetiana Pushkarova

As the circular economy gains traction, Ukrainian firm Re:inventex is emerging as a key player in scalable textile recycling through mechanical innovation and pragmatic adaptation. The company’s Development Manager, Tetiana Pushkarova, explains how they navigate fibre challenges, material complexity, and regulatory uncertainty—while building real-world recycling solutions that connect industry, policy and sustainability goals across Europe.

Despite separate textile collection becoming mandatory across EU member states from January 2025, fragmented implementation and enforcement gaps undermine circular economy progress. Industry experts reveal how regulatory inconsistencies and misaligned policies are preventing meaningful recycling outcomes across European markets.

Chemical recycling attracts billions in investment promises while proven mechanical methods remain underutilised. With 73% of collected textile waste still landfilled or incinerated globally, industry experts question whether technological tunnel vision is preventing immediate impact and realistic circularity solutions.

Europe's textile recycling industry generates only €1.54 billion annually despite processing millions of tonnes of waste, highlighting systemic economic challenges. Industry experts reveal how data invisibility and traceability gaps create cascading costs that undermine commercial viability and prevent meaningful circularity at scale.