Europe's circular textiles sector faces mounting pressure from increasing waste volumes, fragmented collection systems, and ultra-fast fashion's environmental impact. ReHubs has developed a comprehensive action plan to transform these challenges into competitive advantages through strategic stakeholder alignment. The strategy emerges from extensive stakeholder consultation involving over 100 interviews across the European textile value chain.
- European textile recycling currently faces a supply-demand deadlock preventing large-scale textile-to-textile processing infrastructure development.
- Most discarded textiles are downcycled, incinerated, or exported rather than recycled into new textile products.
- Ultra-fast fashion production continues intensifying waste volumes and reducing material recovery potential across collection systems.
- ReHubs has developed an industry-wide roadmap based on stakeholder consultation to address systematic coordination failures.
THE TRIGGER: ReHubs announced its new strategy and tactical action plan on Wednesday, with full details scheduled for release on 22 September 2025. The announcement addresses Europe's mounting textile waste crisis through a comprehensive industry transformation roadmap. The strategy development involved extensive consultation with stakeholders across collection, recycling, manufacturing, and retail sectors. ReHubs aims to establish Europe as the global leader in circular textiles through strategic infrastructure investment and supply chain integration.
- The strategy launch coincides with growing regulatory pressure on European textile waste management and circular economy implementation.
- ReHubs conducted stakeholder consultation involving over 100 interviews and surveys with industry participants across the textile value chain.
- The announcement precedes detailed strategy presentation at the Dornbirn Global Fibre Congress and Circular Textile Days conferences.
- Implementation targets begin immediately with infrastructure development and stakeholder coordination initiatives across participating European regions.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: The industry is stuck in a supply-demand deadlock as recyclers struggle to scale without brand commitments, and brands are hesitant to commit without reliable, cost-competitive supply. Despite advances in recycling technology, very few textiles today are recycled back into new textiles, with most waste still downcycled, incinerated, or exported.
- European textile waste volumes continue increasing without adequate processing infrastructure to handle growing material flows.
- Current recycling capacity cannot meet pending regulatory requirements for textile waste diversion from landfill and incineration.
- Brand commitments to recycled content remain unfulfilled due to supply chain reliability and cost competitiveness challenges.
- Technology providers struggle to scale operations without coordinated demand signals and financing support from industry stakeholders.
WHAT THE DATA SHOWS: The strategy aims to recycle 2.5 million tonnes of textile waste by 2032, representing around 35-40% of Europe's yearly textile waste. This is projected to unlock €5-6 billion in investments and create up to 10,000 new jobs across Europe. ReHubs is supported by over 30 organisations from across the value chain, ranging from collectors and recyclers to brands, PROS, technology providers and investors.
WHAT THEY SAID:
This is a defining decade for Europe's textile industry. Circularity is no longer just a vision, it is an urgent infrastructure challenge. With ReHubs' new strategy, we will lead the industry with the clarity, coordination, and collective strength needed to turn waste into value, resilience, and competitive advantage.
— Alain Poincheval
Chairman
ReHubs
The textile industry faces an urgent need for systemic change. ReHubs' new strategy is designed to move from isolated initiatives to coordinated industry-wide implementation and ecosystem transformation. By combining stakeholder collaboration with direct action on infrastructure, finance, and policy, we can scale textile-to-textile recycling and turn Europe's waste challenge into an opportunity.
— Robert van de Kerkhof
CEO
ReHubs
