Europe’s circular economy in textiles and apparel is at a crossroads. Rising volumes of discarded textiles, fragile collection systems, and the flood of low-cost ultra-fast fashion are fueling a crisis of overproduction, waste, and lost value. Despite advances in recycling technology, only a fraction of textile waste is currently recycled into new textiles, with most ending up downcycled, incinerated, or exported.
ReHubs is set to respond with a new strategy and tactical action plan, to be released on 22 September 2025. The plan is designed to unlock textile-to-textile recycling at scale and break the supply-demand deadlock that has long stalled progress in circular textiles.
Breaking the Deadlock
The industry is currently trapped in a loop: recyclers struggle to scale without brand commitments, while brands hesitate to commit without a reliable, cost-competitive supply. ReHubs’ strategy addresses this stalemate through two central pillars:
- End-to-End Supply Chain Management – Streamlining fragmented collection, sorting, recycling, and manufacturing processes to deliver consistent, transparent, and high-quality recycled fibres.
- Financing Orchestration – Mobilising and de-risking the €5–6 billion in public-private investment required to build large-scale recycling infrastructure across Europe.
Six Strategic Levers
These pillars are reinforced by six levers:
- Harmonisation of industry standards
- Policy advocacy at EU and national levels
- Targeted research and innovation
- Network and stakeholder coordination
- Technology and infrastructure scalability
- Coalition building among brands and industry leaders
Together, these measures aim to recycle 2.5 million tonnes of textile waste by 2032, unlocking billions in investment and creating up to 10,000 jobs across Europe.
Collective Momentum
Supported by more than 30 organisations from across the value chain, ReHubs’ strategy is the result of over 100 interviews and surveys with stakeholders both inside and outside the ReHubs community. This broad collaboration ensures the plan reflects both industry realities and policy ambitions.
“Europe’s textile industry faces an urgent infrastructure challenge,” said Alain Poincheval, Chairman of ReHubs. “Circularity is no longer a vision—it’s a necessity. With this strategy, we can turn waste into value, resilience, and competitive advantage.”
ReHubs CEO Robert van de Kerkhof added: “This action plan will shift us from isolated initiatives to coordinated, industry-wide implementation. By combining collaboration with direct action on infrastructure, finance, and policy, Europe can lead the world in textile circularity.”
Next Steps
ReHubs will present its new strategy at leading industry events including the Dornbirn Global Fibre Congress and Circular Textile Days, inviting wider industry participation in building a circular textile ecosystem.
The full report will be available on 22 September 2025.
