Report warns of German textile recycling crisis

BERLIN – Germany’s textile recycling sector is facing a crisis driven by rising operational costs, declining quality of collections, and shrinking export and domestic markets.

Between 2018 and 2023, the share of textiles designated for reuse dropped from 62% to 44%, while mechanical and material recycling rose to 35% and thermal recovery (incineration) nearly doubled from 12 – 21%.