Insights from Textile Recycling Expo 2025

Brussels June 2025 - innovation, and the future of circular textiles

Earlier this month, I attended the Textile Recycling Expo 2025 in Brussels – a dynamic gathering of stakeholders from across the European textile value chain. Over two packed days, 126 exhibitors from mainly Europe, some from China, Japan, South Korea and India. Countless attendees came together to explore where textile recycling is headed, what’s holding us back, and what it’ll take to move forward.

Here are the key insights I took home from the event – from both a professional and a personal perspective:

1. The entire value chain needs to move in sync

The transition to circular textiles won’t succeed if we’re not aligned. Manufacturers, sorters, recyclers, designers, brands, and policymakers all need to act together – like a choreography. It’s not about waiting for someone else to start. We must create the demand for recycled materials and help establish a real, functioning market.

2. Money is a dealbreaker

Economic incentives were one of the most talked-about topics at the expo. Whether it’s EU-level funding, national support schemes, or private investment, it’s clear that recycling solutions won’t scale without dedicated financial backing.

3. Let’s expand our definition of “textiles”

Too often, discussions around textile recycling focus solely on clothing. But workwear, flat linens (e.g., from hospitals or hotels), technical textiles, and other "invisible" products need just as much attention. A truly circular approach means looking beyond the fashion industry.

4. The technology exists – but it won’t scale itself

There’s no lack of promising innovations: AI-driven sorting for reuse, chemical recycling of complex blends, and even recycling elastane, which until recently was considered non-recyclable. But the gap lies in infrastructure and market readiness – not in innovation.

5. Enzyme-based recycling is gaining ground

One of the more exciting developments I noticed was the emergence of enzyme use in chemical recycling processes. This biotechnological approach could offer more energy-efficient or fiber-preserving alternatives to traditional methods. It’s early days – but one to watch!

6. Post-consumer waste is the real elephant in the room

Many companies are doing great work recycling production offcuts (pre-consumer), but to truly tackle the biggest issue of them all, we need solutions that can handle mixed, used, and complex textile waste at scale. That’s where the biggest environmental potential lies – and the biggest challenge.

Final thoughts

This year’s expo made one thing very clear: we’re standing on the edge of what could be a circular revolution in textiles. But to get there, we need alignment, collaboration, policy support – and a willingness to act now, not later.

Let’s keep pushing for real change in the way we produce, use, and dispose of textiles.