Textiles and clothing are essential elements of our everyday lives. The global production of textile fibres has almost tripled since 1975. Most textile fibres are synthetic (60%) i.e., made from chemical processes, with polyester being the most widely used. In terms of natural fibres, cotton is the most widely used but only accounts for 37%. Textiles are the fourth largest contributor to resource use (1321kg/person) and greenhouse gas emissions (654 kg CO2-equivalent/person). Textiles re-use and recycling preserves textile fibres in the circular economy and saves the equivalent of up to 98% of CO2 when compared to the use of virgin materials.
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1.7 - 2.1 million
tonnes of used textiles are collected annually in the EU
2.2 million
tonnes of textile waste will be available for recycling in 2030