According to research done by the design firm Terra and released in a report by the French eco-organization Refashion, 58 per cent of textiles, home textiles, and shoes collected for recycling are repurposed in Europe.
32 per cent of the textiles recovered in Europe are recycled as opposed to being used again. According to Refashion’s study, the majority of that 32 per cent is exported to and processed in Asia and Europe.
The study, conducted from June to December 2022, found that while the amount collected rises and “the useable proportion drops at the same time,” textile recycling in Europe “is still limited.” According to Refashion, 96 per cent of the textiles gathered in Europe are exported, according to RTBF.
Refashion claims that the continent of Africa is the “primary beneficiary” of shipments of used clothing and footwear, which are marketed especially on second-hand markets. “The export of part of textiles for recycling and reuse should be further controlled in the future,” the design firm Terra suggests in its summary.
Terra also points out that during the past few years, less used clothes have been collected at the European level.
The development of upstream resale amongst people, which raises the level of wear of the gathered pieces, and ‘the degradation in the quality of apparel’ put on the market, among other things, are to blame for this predicament, according to the design office.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
