GFA and ReHubs launch 2030 blueprint to scale EU textile recycling

A new industry roadmap presented in Copenhagen on May 6 makes the investment case for scaling textile-to-textile recycling across Europe, identifying systemic fragmentation as the main obstacle and calling for up to €11 billion in coordinated infrastructure spending.

Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and ReHubs jointly launched the 2030 Circularity Blueprint at the Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition, framing it as a response to a structural policy failure: despite EU-wide obligations for separate collection of textiles, less than 1 percent of discarded garments are currently recycled into new garments.

Eight intervention areas, two joint programs, one goal: radically increase European textile-to-textile recycling capacity

The blueprint sets out eight intervention areas across the value chain. Three focus on system-level enablers: a common framework for circular and sustainable materials, a textile-waste intelligence platform, and a demand-signal initiative based on long-term offtake commitments.

The other five address operational bottlenecks, from product design and closing collection gaps to providing demand certainty for sorters, building regional pre-sorting hubs, and aligning a capital expenditure (CAPEX) roadmap for recycling facilities.

The stated ambition is to reach 2.7 million tonnes of textile-to-textile recycling capacity across Europe by 2035. As a first step, GFA and ReHubs are activating two collaborative programs: the textile waste intelligence platform, led by ReHubs, and a joint initiative targeting the collection and sorting gap.

The economics of circularity remain a hard problem

The blueprint does not sidestep the central constraint: cost. Recycled feedstock still trades at a premium of about 20 percent to as much as twice the price of virgin materials, a gap that slows uptake without stronger policy signals.

To narrow that differential, GFA and ReHubs are urging the European Commission and member states to put targeted incentives in place. Options outlined include tougher public-procurement requirements for recycled content, harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility(EPR) rules across the EU, clearer mandates on recycled material use, and direct investment in recycling infrastructure.

GFA and ReHubs say they are seeking funding, partners and co-leads for the remaining intervention areas.

What this blueprint means for sporting goods

Europe’s sporting goods sector – heavily dependent on polyester, nylon and blended fabrics across apparel, footwear and equipment – sits squarely within the scope of the problems this blueprint addresses. Brands facing escalating compliance requirements under the EU’s Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will need scalable access to recycled textile feedstock that does not yet exist at commercial scale. The cost premium identified in the blueprint directly affects sourcing decisions for any brand carrying recycled content targets.

The push for EPR harmonization is also operationally significant. Brands selling across multiple European markets already navigate a patchwork of national schemes; a more aligned framework would reduce compliance complexity and could sharpen the investment case for recycling infrastructure.