Reju has partnered with a diverse coalition including Resortecs, COLEO, Tissage de Charlieu, Synergies TLC, Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, Sympany, European Spinning Group, Ariadne, Erdotex, Utexbel, and Noyfil to establish the European Circular Textile Coalition. This initiative aims to promote a completely circular textile economy throughout Europe.
The coalition’s manifesto urges the European Union to transform post-consumer textile waste into a catalyst for green employment, innovation, and enhanced competitiveness, stating that the current model of waste management in Europe is not sustainable. With an alarming 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste produced annually, most of which ends up in landfills, incinerators, or is exported, only 1% is recycled into new apparel.
“We refuse to accept textile waste as an inevitability; we see it as a solvable challenge for our generation,” asserts the manifesto.
The European Circular Textile Coalition emphasizes the need for the EU to align its regulatory goals with substantial investments in textile recycling and manufacturing infrastructure. “Without system readiness, even the most forward-looking regulations risk falling short. We are here to help bridge that gap,” they stated.
To facilitate change, the manifesto outlines three core policy objectives:
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Enhance the European textile supply chain by relocating production to Europe, ensuring adherence to environmental and labor standards.
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Focus on high-quality textile-to-textile recycling, making post-consumer textile waste the primary feedstock for new textiles.
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Implement mandatory recycled content in textiles with ambitious yet attainable targets phased in over time.
Patrik Frisk, CEO of Reju, highlighted the importance of collaboration in achieving systemic change.
“Reju is a system change company, and we strongly believe that change happens through collaboration. That is why this coalition is essential for driving collective progress within the industry, and we welcome additional businesses to join us,” he explained.
The coalition contends that previous voluntary efforts have fallen short, necessitating binding EU standards to stimulate demand for recycled materials. To further their mission, they are embarking on an advocacy tour aimed at engaging policymakers and industry stakeholders throughout Europe.
“Now is the time to act — because when a world without waste is possible, we cannot afford to wait,” concludes the manifesto.
