were investigated, looking at the site capacity, start-up dates and input feedstock. The results of this analysis showed that Europe leads the way globally in terms of available input capacity for textile closed-loop recycling, with 586,000 tonnes forecast to be available by 2033. This is closely followed by capacities in China and North America. This is not surprising, as the EU leads the
way globally in terms of plastics waste management and recycling, thanks to great consumer attitudes and legislative framework. Europe is also leading the way for chemical recycling technologies generally, with input capacity for plastics expected to reach over 3.2 million tonnes by 2033.
Facing challenges When looking closer at the input capacity in Europe for depolymerisation technolo- gies for PET and PA, it becomes clear that 95% of European input capacity includes textile waste as a feedstock. This shows a high potential for closed-loop textile recycling in Europe, with a strong commit- ment from companies to focus on this challenge and develop technologies to
convert textile waste back into new textile applications. Unfortunately it is not all plain sailing
for chemical recycling; for the last several years, this industry has seen a number of setbacks and delays. The first and biggest challenge is the material complexity of textile waste; chemical recycling is not a silver bullet in this respect. While there may be no such thing as a mono-material textile, design for recycling is still some- thing the industry needs to work on. Secondly, access to the required
feedstock volumes needed to run these facilities may prove challenging given the issues mentioned above with collection, export and the reuse market. The current economic landscape, of
course, has a major impact on these emerging technologies, with recent project delays and cancellations making more headlines than new developments. This is linked to increasing costs, often above initially forecast, and slowing or more challenging investment flows. For chemical recycling in general,
environmental externalities remain unaddressed in many cases, and finally,
there is a lack of legislative drivers or incentives to change the status quo that recyclers are working against.
Conclusions Closed-loop recycling proves a truly circular solution for textile waste, where materials are recycled into new materials of the same quality. Chemical recycling is a possible pathway, with specific technologies being developed globally to tackle textile waste. Most notably, depolymerisation technologies already have commercial operations available in Europe. A data analysis of input capacity shows that 95% of depolymerisation in Europe can take textile waste by 2033. This shows the strong commitment in Europe to develop a solution for textile-to-textile recycling, although challenges remain. AMI’s Textiles Chemical Recycling, Global Status report details the industry status and outlook for these technologies, as well as mapping the complex relationships across the supply chain. It also includes market data on input capacities by region, polymer and technology, with forecasts to 2033. CLICK HERE.
Market Reports
Textiles Chemical Recycling - Global Market 2025
Empower your business with insights for a sustainable future.
This comprehensive quantitative analysis explores the global textiles chemical recycling industry, mapping the intricate supply chain relationships.
Benefits include: • Detailed industry status and outlook
• Extensive market data on input capacities by region, polymer, and technology
• Forecasts extending to 2033 Find out more >
Olivia Poole, Consultant and co-author of the report
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