Textile Recycling Industry Overview

The global textile recycling market size was valued at USD 4,632.4 million in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2% from 2023 to 2030.

The rising environmental concern about textile waste production and growing social awareness about textile recycling is expected to propel the market growth.According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 5% of landfill space is occupied by textile waste. The U.S. produces an average of 25 billion pounds of textiles yearly or around 82 pounds per citizen. These aforementioned factors are expected to drive the demand for textile recycling over the forecast period. Textile waste recycling provides environmental sustainability. Upcycling is a potential recycling approach that maximizes resource conservation of water, raw materials, and energy and minimizes the environmental impact. Furthermore, textile recycling lessens the environmental effect compared to textile incineration and landfill disposal. By replacing items made from primary resources, resource recovery can result in considerable environmental advantages. All the aforementioned factors are expected to boost the market growth over the forecast period.

Gather more insights about the market drivers, restrains and growth of the Textile Recycling Market

According to the National Council of Textile Organization of the U.S., the textile industry in the U.S. is one of the largest producers of textile-related products in the world. Moreover, the waste generated from discarded textiles amounts to a large quantity in the U.S. According to the Council for Textile Recycling, the average citizen throws away approximately 70 pounds of textiles annually in the country. These aforementioned factors are expected to propel the demand for textile recycling in the coming years.

Moreover, the increasing population and the consumer rising spending capacity are anticipated to generate textile waste and result in concerns about its management. Several government authorities and private firms are considering textile recycling as one of the solutions for tackling issues related to textile waste management and promoting the adoption of a circular economy in the country. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Report 2022, the rate of recycling of all textiles in the country was 14.7% in 2018.

In the U.S., various programs and start-ups are gaining momentum, contributing significantly to the increasing rate of textile recycling. American Textile Recycling Services (ATRS) is the donation bin operator, for donation and collection services of clothing, footwear, and household items. ARTS is continuously expanding to the new cities in the country driving the growth of recycling. These aforementioned factors are anticipated to further propel the demand for textile recycling in the U.S. over the projected period.

Clothing and textile waste production are rising continuously as the average life of a particular garment is decreasing. This has a huge impact on the environment due to landfill disposal and incineration process, giving rise to greenhouse gas emissions. According to EPA and SMART, recycling textiles has a major impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and acts as a growth driver. Furthermore, developments in recycling techniques and groundbreaking research in the field are anticipated to facilitate the growth of the market. For instance, LIST Technology AG announced a breakthrough in the textile recycling industry and presented a lyocell T-shirt made from 100% recycled material, in February 2022, at the International Conference on Cellulose Fibers.

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Textile Recycling Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global textile recycling market based on material, source, process, and region:

Textile Recycling Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• Cotton
• Polyester
• Wool
• Polyamide
• Other

Textile Recycling Source Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• Apparel Waste
• Home Furnishing Waste
• Automotive Waste
• Other

Textile Recycling Process Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• Mechanical
• Chemical

Textile Recycling Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• North America
  • US
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • UK
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia
• Central & South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
• Middle East & Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE

Key Companies profiled:

• Worn again technologies
• Lenzing Group
• Birla Cellulose
• BLS Ecotech
• The Woolmark Company
• iinouiio Ltd
• Ecotex Group
• The Boer Group
• Unifi, Inc.
• Textile Recycling International
• Hyosung Group
• Martex Fiber
• RenewCell
• Pistoni S.r.l.
• RE TEXTIL Deutschland GmbH.

Key Textile Recycling Company Insights

The global market is still niche and at a developing stage. The market is fragmented and is characterized by the presence of small-scale key players. Key strategies opted by the key players include technological development, expansion, and merger and acquisitions, to increase revenue generation and market share.

In April 2023, Zara partnered with Circ to launch a womenswear collection made with recycled polyester and lyocell separated from blended textile waste. Furthermore, in June 2020, the PET recycling facility of AG Resinas Ltda. Was acquired by Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited through one of its subsidiaries. The company acquired a 100% equity stake. AG Resinas is located in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, and processes post-consumer PET into recycled flakes and pellets of PET. 

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Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.