Textile recycling statistics show a widening gap between material placed on markets and material recovered from waste streams. The measures below distinguish generation, separate collection, reuse, exports, disposal and fiber production across the United States, Europe, the UK and the global market.
Key Textile Recycling Statistics
The most broadly useful figures are:
- In 2018, 17,030 thousand U.S. tons of textiles entered municipal solid waste, equal to 5.8% of total U.S. MSW generation.
- In 2018, 2,510 thousand U.S. tons of MSW textiles were recycled, producing a 14.7% recycling rate for all U.S. MSW textiles.
- In 2018, 11,300 thousand U.S. tons of U.S. MSW textiles were landfilled, representing 7.7% of all MSW landfilled.
- In 2022, EU Member States generated about 6.94 million tonnes of textile waste, or an estimated 16 kg per person.
- In 2022, just under 15% of EU household textile waste was separately captured, while about 85% was not separately collected.
- Between 2010 and 2022, the European textile-waste landfill share fell from 21% to 12%.
- Between 2010 and 2022, the European textile-waste incineration share rose from 10% to 14%.
- In 2020, EU-27 average consumption was 6.0 kg of clothing per person, excluding industrial and technical textiles and carpets.
- In the 2020-era European market estimate, 4%–9% of textile products placed on the market were destroyed before use.
- In 2023, EU used-textile exports totaled 1.4 million tonnes, although destination treatment was mixed and incompletely measured.
- In 2022, the UK consumed 1.42 million tonnes of new textile products.
- In 2022, about 650,000 tonnes of UK used textiles were diverted to reuse and recycling from end-of-life disposal.
- In 2022, about 421,600 tonnes of UK used textiles were exported, without a measured final destination for every shipment.
- In research reported in a 2024 UK release, 49% of used textiles were put in the rubbish bin.
- Global fiber production increased from 112 million tonnes in 2021 to 116 million tonnes in 2022.
- Under a business-as-usual forecast, global fiber production was projected to reach 147 million tonnes in 2030.
- In 2022, recycled fibers made up 7.9% of global fiber production, down from about 8.5% in 2021.
- In 2022, less than 1% of the global fiber market came from pre- and post-consumer recycled textiles.
Contents
- U.S. textile recycling statistics: generation and recovery
- U.S. textile landfill and energy-recovery trends
- EU textile waste, collection and disposal data
- EU textile reuse, exports and pre-use destruction
- UK textile reuse, recycling and disposal flows
- Global recycled-fiber and textile-to-textile statistics
U.S. Textile Recycling Statistics: Generation and Recovery
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s material-specific series covers textiles in municipal solid waste (MSW). Its generation estimate excludes reuse entering the market before eventual disposal, so it should not be read as a complete measure of all textile products used in the country.
| Year | MSW textiles generated | MSW textiles recycled |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1,760 thousand U.S. tons | 50 thousand U.S. tons |
| 2000 | 9,480 thousand U.S. tons | 1,320 thousand U.S. tons |
| 2010 | 13,220 thousand U.S. tons | 2,050 thousand U.S. tons |
| 2018 | 17,030 thousand U.S. tons | 2,510 thousand U.S. tons |
Source: EPA, “Textiles: Material-Specific Data”. These are EPA estimates for U.S. municipal solid waste.
EPA’s series records a rise in estimated textile generation from 1,760 thousand U.S. tons in 1960 to 9,480 thousand in 2000, 13,220 thousand in 2010, 16,060 thousand in 2015 and 16,890 thousand in 2017. The 2018 estimate was 17,030 thousand U.S. tons, or 5.8% of total MSW generation.
Recycling increased from 50 thousand U.S. tons in 1960 to 1,320 thousand in 2000 and 2,050 thousand in 2010. It reached 2,510 thousand U.S. tons in 2018, when the estimated recycling rate was 14.7% for all MSW textiles and 13% for clothing and footwear textiles.
The clothing-and-footwear rate has a narrower scope than the all-textiles rate, and the EPA notes that the broader generation series does not include reuse until reused items later enter MSW. Those definitions matter when comparing waste estimates with collection or resale data.
U.S. Textile Landfill and Energy-Recovery Trends
Disposal outcomes show why a rising recycling total does not necessarily mean that most discarded textiles avoid disposal. EPA separates landfill from combustion with energy recovery, two categories that are not equivalent to material recycling.
| Year | Landfilled | Energy-recovery combustion |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1,710 thousand U.S. tons | — |
| 1970 | — | 10 thousand U.S. tons |
| 2000 | 6,280 thousand U.S. tons | 1,880 thousand U.S. tons |
| 2010 | 8,900 thousand U.S. tons | 2,270 thousand U.S. tons |
| 2015 | 10,540 thousand U.S. tons | 3,060 thousand U.S. tons |
| 2017 | 11,150 thousand U.S. tons | 3,170 thousand U.S. tons |
| 2018 | 11,300 thousand U.S. tons | 3,220 thousand U.S. tons |
Source: EPA, “Textiles: Material-Specific Data”. The figures are EPA estimates for U.S. MSW.
In 2018, textiles accounted for 7.7% of all MSW landfilled, while 3,220 thousand U.S. tons went to combustion with energy recovery, equal to 9.3% of all MSW combusted with energy recovery. The energy-recovery category includes combustion and should not be presented as fiber recovery.
The landfill estimate rose from 6,280 thousand U.S. tons in 2000 to 8,900 thousand in 2010, 10,540 thousand in 2015, 11,150 thousand in 2017 and 11,300 thousand in 2018. Energy-recovery combustion rose from 1,880 thousand U.S. tons in 2000 to 2,270 thousand in 2010, 3,060 thousand in 2015, 3,170 thousand in 2017 and 3,220 thousand in 2018.
EU Textile Waste, Collection and Disposal Data
European Environment Agency estimates use several datasets and methods, so textile consumption, textile waste, separate capture and successful recycling should not be treated as interchangeable. The 2022 EU Member State estimate was about 6.94 million tonnes of textile waste, or approximately 16 kg per person.
| EU or European measure | Period | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| Textile waste generated | 2022 | About 6.94 million tonnes; about 16 kg per person |
| Household textile waste separately captured | 2022 | Just under 15% |
| Household textile waste not separately collected | 2022 | About 85% |
| Capture-rate change | 2016–2022 | Up 4.3 percentage points |
Source: EEA, “Circularity of the EU textiles value chain in numbers”. The capture rate measures separate collection, not successful recycling.
The EEA estimates that the capture rate had risen by 4.3 percentage points since 2016, but just under 15% of household textile waste was separately captured in 2022. About 85% was not separately collected, and mixed waste cannot be assumed to have been recycled.
Treatment trends also changed across Europe. The share sent to landfill fell from 21% in 2010 to 12% in 2022, while the share sent to incineration rose from 10% to 14%; the incineration measure includes facilities with and without energy recovery.
For context, the EEA estimated EU-27 average 2020 consumption at 6.0 kg of clothing, 6.1 kg of household textiles and 2.7 kg of shoes per person. The consumption estimate is based on production and trade and excludes industrial or technical textiles and carpets.
EU Textile Reuse, Exports and Pre-Use Destruction
Reuse and trade statistics describe flows, not necessarily the final outcome. An exported garment may be reused, recycled, discarded or otherwise treated in its destination country, and the EEA cautions that destination treatment is incompletely measured.
The EEA estimated that textile products destroyed before use represented 4%–9% of products placed on the European market in the 2020-era estimate. The corresponding annual mass estimate was 264,000–594,000 tonnes, referring to pre-use destruction rather than post-consumer recycling.
EU used-textile exports increased from a little over 550,000 tonnes in 2000 to 1.4 million tonnes in 2019. They were also 1.4 million tonnes in 2023, but the trade total does not establish how much was ultimately reused or recycled.
In 2000, Africa received 60% of EU used-textile exports and Asia received 28%. In 2023, Pakistan received 13% of EU worn-textile and clothing exports; this is a destination share, not a final recycling rate.
The EEA also reported that the EU imported 8.7 million tonnes of finished textile products in 2020, valued at EUR125 billion, with clothing representing 45% of finished textile imports by volume. These are import measures, not waste or recycling measures.
UK Textile Reuse, Recycling and Disposal Flows
WRAP’s UK figures use different populations within the same market: new products consumed, used textiles generated, textiles sold to the public, diverted material and exports. They therefore provide a flow map rather than one single recycling rate.
| UK measure | 2022 figure | Definition or limitation |
|---|---|---|
| New textile products consumed | 1.42 million tonnes | Market estimate |
| Used textiles generated | About 1.45 million tonnes | Post-consumer market estimate |
| Used textiles sold to the public | About 276,000 tonnes | Sales are not recycling |
| Diverted to reuse and recycling | About 650,000 tonnes | Combined flow; not all fiber-to-fiber |
| Used textiles exported | About 421,600 tonnes | Final outcome abroad not identified |
Source: WRAP, “Textiles Market Situation Report 2024”. The figures are not interchangeable rates.
WRAP estimated that about 650,000 tonnes of UK used textiles were diverted from end-of-life disposal to reuse and recycling in 2022. That combined category does not mean all of the material was recycled into new textile fiber.
About 421,600 tonnes were exported in 2022, while approximately 1.45 million tonnes of used textiles were generated. The export figure does not identify final reuse, recycling, disposal or leakage abroad.
A separate WRAP research release reported that 49% of used textiles were put in the rubbish bin. This is a survey result reported in the 2024 release, not a measured national tonnage.
Global Recycled-Fiber and Textile-to-Textile Recycling Statistics
Global fiber-market statistics measure production composition rather than the share of discarded garments recovered from waste streams. Textile Exchange’s figures are therefore useful for understanding supply, but they do not substitute for collection or post-consumer recycling rates.
| Global fiber-market measure | 2021 | 2022 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total fiber production | About 112 million tonnes | 116 million tonnes | 147 million tonnes forecast |
| Virgin fossil-based synthetics | 63 million tonnes | 67 million tonnes | — |
| All recycled fibers’ share | About 8.5% | 7.9% | — |
| Recycled polyester’s share of polyester | 15% | 14% | — |
Source: Textile Exchange, “Materials Market Report 2023”. The 2030 figure is a business-as-usual projection.
Global fiber production rose from about 112 million tonnes in 2021 to 116 million tonnes in 2022. Under business-as-usual conditions, it was projected to reach 147 million tonnes in 2030; that is a forecast, not an observed outcome.
Virgin fossil-based synthetic-fiber production increased from 63 million tonnes in 2021 to 67 million tonnes in 2022. Polyester represented 54% of global fiber production in 2022.
The combined share of all recycled fibers fell from about 8.5% in 2021 to 7.9% in 2022, while recycled polyester’s market share fell from 15% to 14%. About 99% of recycled polyester was made from plastic bottles in 2022, so bottle-to-fiber production should not be confused with textile-to-textile recycling.
Less than 1% of the global fiber market came from pre- and post-consumer recycled textiles in 2022. That measure is specific to recycled textiles as feedstock and excludes recycled fibers made from other inputs such as bottles.