ReHubs sets strategy to industrialise textile circularity by 2032

Europe’s textile and apparel sector is facing a pressing challenge. Growing volumes of discarded textiles, fragile collection systems, and the rise of ultra-fast fashion are fueling a crisis of waste and lost value. Despite progress in recycling technology, very few textiles are recycled back into new textiles. Much of the waste continues to be downcycled, incinerated, or shipped abroad.

This deadlock stems from a lack of coordination. Recyclers are unable to scale operations without brand commitments, while brands remain hesitant without a steady, cost-competitive supply of recycled fibres. ReHubs is aiming to break this cycle by creating the conditions needed for textile-to-textile recycling at scale.

Later this month, ReHubs will unveil its new strategy and tactical action plan, which lays out a roadmap and a set of projects designed to move the industry forward. The plan is the result of more than 100 interviews and surveys with members of the ReHubs community and wider stakeholders across the sector.

This is a defining decade for Europe’s textile industry. Circularity is no longer just a vision, it is an urgent infrastructure challenge. With ReHubs’ new strategy, we will lead the industry with the clarity, coordination, and collective strength needed to turn waste into value, resilience, and competitive advantage.

Alain Poincheval, Chairman of ReHubs

At the centre of the strategy are two main pillars:

• End-to-end supply chain management – Streamlining collection, sorting, recycling, and manufacturing to provide reliable volumes of recycled fibres with clear cost and quality benchmarks.
• Financing orchestration – Mobilising and de-risking the €5–6 billion in public and private investment required to expand infrastructure, supported by brands, private investors, and government funding.

Six additional levers will reinforce these pillars: industry standards harmonisation, policy advocacy, research, technology and infrastructure scalability, network coordination, and brand coalition building. Together, these are expected to secure stable feedstock supply, ensure consistency in standards, strengthen cooperation, and build trust in recycled textiles as a viable solution.

By aligning stakeholders across the value chain, ReHubs has set three key goals:

• Recycle 2.5 million tons of textile waste by 2032, equal to about 35–40% of Europe’s yearly textile waste.
• Unlock €5–6 billion in investment and create up to 10,000 new jobs across Europe.
• Establish Europe as a leader in circular textiles through scalable, demand-driven recycling solutions.

The textile industry faces an urgent need for systemic change. new strategy is designed to move from isolated initiatives to coordinated industry-wide implementation and ecosystem transformation. By combining stakeholder collaboration with direct action on infrastructure, finance, and policy, we can scale textile-to-textile recycling and turn Europe’s waste challenge into an opportunity.

Robert van de Kerkhof, CEO of ReHubs

The new strategy will be officially presented on 22 September 2025. Backed by over 30 partners including collectors, recyclers, brands, producer responsibility organisations, technology providers, and investors, the initiative reflects a shared commitment to accelerate progress.

ReHubs will also share insights from the strategy at the Dornbirn Global Fibre Congress and Circular Textile Days, inviting the wider industry to contribute to building a circular textile ecosystem in Europe.