The new T2T Alliance brings together textile recyclers Circ, Circulose, Re&Up and Syre to advocate for their sector within the EU policy framework and drive policy change to support a thriving and resilient textile industry.

Set to become the defining textile policy of 2025, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will introduce market-entry ecodesign requirements that mandate a significant increase in recycled textile fibres by 2028.

Alongside ongoing work in the EcoDesign Forum, the European Commission’s technical body is preparing ecodesign requirements and has invited stakeholder feedback on its latest report.

The T2T Alliance is taking the opportunity to provide expert input on the development of  ecodesign requirements for textile apparel through promoting T2T recycled content and recyclability as core requirements in the ecodesign requirements. It also aims to clarify misconceptions about the textile recycling industry currently in the EC’s report on the proposed ESPR – such as the assumption that allowing post-industrial waste to fulfil recycled content targets would incentivise its overproduction.

The alliance will also advocate for a wide range of verification methods for tracing recycled material.

“Textile waste is a growing challenge in Europe and beyond, with less than 1% of the textile fibre market coming from recycled textiles and the majority of end-of-life products currently ending up in landfills or being incinerated,” says Syre CEO Dennis Nobelius. “The textile industry is now at a tipping point and we believe the EU and other actors can greatly influence the acceleration of circularity in the sector and empower textile-to-textile recycling as a future standard solution.”

Long-term viability

The T2T recycling industry requires urgent strategic intervention to ensure its long-term viability. While the developments on the ESPR represent a milestone, the direction that policy discussions are currently taking will have detrimental effects on the growth of T2T recyclers.

Even though the perspective of T2T recyclers is essential for effective policymaking, it has been underrepresented in policy discussions so far. The T2T Alliance is a force to provide policymakers with an understanding of the real-world impact of sustainability policies, holds them accountable and ensure textile circularity is non-negotiable in EU policy.

“We applaud the EU for taking bold steps towards a more circular future, yet current proposals risk overlooking the practical realities faced by advanced textile recyclers,” says Circ CEO Peter Majeranowski. “We can recycle challenging polycotton blends, but we need well-informed legislation to truly scale our impact. That’s why we’ve come together under the T2T Alliance – to ensure policymakers harness our collective expertise and craft legislation that genuinely and significantly accelerates circularity rather than creating new barriers.”

“No single company can solve the textile waste crisis alone,” adds Andreas Dorner, general manager at Re&Up. “True circularity will only be possible if policymakers, brands and textile recyclers collaborate to remove barriers and build a system that prioritises textile-to-textile recycled content. At Re&Up, we work with partners across the supply chain to make Next-Gen recycled fibres a reality, but scaling this solution industry-wide requires a unified effort. By joining forces under the T2T Alliance, we’re ensuring that the voices of textile-to-textile recyclers are not just heard, but actively shape the policies that define the future of our industry.”

The alliance is inviting other recyclers interested in proactively shaping the policy landscape affecting their operations to reach out. For more information about the T2T Alliance or to inquire about membership, please contact: [email protected].