Textile Recycling: Closing the Loop on a Greener Apparel Industry

The global apparel industry has identified textile recycling as an important component of circularity initiatives to reduce its impact on climate change. A circular economic system, which is constructed to minimize waste while keeping products and materials in use at optimal value for as long as possible, provides a pathway for many of the sector’s sustainability goals. Recycling provides a circular option for apparel waste and reduces carbon emissions associated with virgin textile fiber production; however, challenges with infrastructure, technology, and scalability have so far inhibited widespread adoption.