Navigating Volumes and Value Chains Towards Circularity: Textiles

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Circular Plastics NL (CPNL) continues its in-depth analysis of the plastics value chain, now turning its focus to the Textiles sector.

The Dutch textile industry is undergoing a major transformation in response to increasing circular economy ambitions and regulatory changes. A recent deep dive into the synthetic fiber value chain highlights the complexities of textile consumption, waste management, and recycling in the Netherlands.

Similar to the Electrical & Electronics sector, the Netherlands has a significant import surplus in textiles, with approximately 40 kton of synthetic fibers imported annually to meet domestic consumption, which totals around 170 kton. Carpets and rugs dominate Dutch textile conversion, leading to a notable export surplus in this subcategory. In contrast, other textiles—such as clothing, household textiles, and shoes—are almost entirely dependent on imports.

Of the ~170 kton of synthetic fibers consumed each year, roughly 153 kton ends up as Dutch textile waste. Currently, around 61 kton (including imported sorted waste) is collected separately, while the majority (~93 kton) enters mixed waste streams that are largely incinerated for energy recovery. A mere ~7 kton of the separately collected synthetic fibers is made available for recycling in the Netherlands, the rest is exported for further treatment abroad. The use of recyclates within the value chain remains negligible.

The polymer composition changes significantly along the value chain. While polyester has a relatively small share at the start, it dominates the waste stage in terms of volume. This is caused by different polymer composition per textile subcategory. Carpets and rugs represent most of the converted volume in the Netherlands and typically have a low polyester share. This subcategory is mainly exported, while subcategories like clothing, household textiles, and shoes are imported for consumption in the Netherlands and contain a high polyester share, which is also reflected in our textile waste streams.

Outlook  

To address these challenges, the Netherlands introduced an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for clothing and household textiles in 2023, anticipating an EU-wide system soon. The Dutch EPR system mandates that, by 2030, 75% of Dutch textile consumption must be reused or recycled, with at least 33% achieved through fiber-to-fiber recycling.

This focus on fiber-to-fiber recycling makes the Dutch EPR system stand out, enforcing higher-quality recycling and promoting circularity. However, achieving these ambitious targets presents significant hurdles. Currently, only about 35% of textiles are reused or recycled, and fiber-to-fiber recycling remains almost nonexistent. Moreover, since the production and conversion of synthetic fibers for clothing and household textiles mainly takes place in Asia, restructuring global supply chains to meet these targets adds another layer of complexity.

Call to action 

  • The fiber-to-fiber recycling target will require a fundamental rethinking of infrastructure and product design within the textile industry. Several pressing questions must be addressed:
  • What investments are necessary to develop the value chain infrastructure?
  • How can recycled material flows be efficiently organized globally, given that production and conversion are primarily based in Asia?
  • To what extent are multi-material designs—at the product, part, and yarn levels—compatible with fiber-to-fiber recycling?

These issues demand immediate attention, while the Dutch EPR system is still in its early implementation phase. The coming years will determine whether the Netherlands can set a benchmark for textile circularity and overcome the systemic challenges hindering large-scale fiber-to-fiber recycling.

CPNL will continue to analyze these challenges and opportunities in upcoming deep dives. The full report, Circular Plastics NL: Navigating Volumes and Value Chains Towards Circularity, will soon be published, providing an in-depth breakdown of volumes, waste streams, and strategies for circularity.

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