Less than 1% of the 124 million tonnes of textiles produced globally in 2023 were the result of recycling pre- and post-consumer textile waste, according to Textile Exchange's recent Materials Market Report.
This speaks volumes for the ambitions of the nonprofit's goal that 100% of synthetics, like polyester and nylon – which make up more than half of all production - will come from textile-to-textile recycling or renewable feedstocks by the end of the decade.
Small wonder then that so many of the exhibitors and attendees at Textile Exchange's recent annual conference in Pasadena, California, were from startups and established players in the recycling sector.
