From Linear to Circularity: How to Weave the Future of Textile Recycling

As the European Union moves towards mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles, the fashion and textile industry is at a critical juncture.

In the words of Paul Doertenbach, Head of Landbell Textile EPR Programme, “Back in 2010, there was close to zero legislation for textiles or fashion. Today, we are confronted with an entire arena of policies that will reshape our industry.”

The days of linear "take-make-waste" models are numbered. The future demands a robust, transparent, and economically viable circular system. But what does that look like in practice?

ERP Netherlands and Erdotex Group co-hosted an exclusive event for producers, brands, and key stakeholders in the textile value chain. The event offered participants a rare behind-the/-scenes look at Erdotex’s operations and fostered discussions on the challenges and opportunities of EPR Textiles. It highlighted the power of collaboration in building a circular infrastructure and demonstrated how operational excellence, policy development, and producer responsibility must align to drive real change.

The Sorting Powerhouse: A Look Inside Erdotex Erdotex Group, a family-owned company with Turkish roots, is a leader in the field. Annually, they collect and process a staggering 22.000 tonnes of post-consumer textiles from their several partners. Their collection network, through its subsidiaries, includes the use of smart containers fitted with sensors that signal when they are full, optimising logistics and reducing carbon footprint. Inside their facility, the scale of the challenge becomes clear. A constant stream of clothing, shoes, and even cuddly toys must be meticulously sorted. Here, human expertise and technology converge. Sorters, with years of experience, can assess a garment and decide its next best use, from resale to recycling, in an average of just three seconds.

This human skill is augmented by in-house Near-Infrared (NIR) technology, which scans and identifies the precise material composition of items destined for recycling, which is a critical step in creating high-quality feedstock. The result is a highly detailed sorting process that separates textiles into over 400 distinct categories.

Key Problems the Industry Faces

The efficiency at Erdotex Group highlights the very barriers a circular system must overcome. Our discussions throughout the day underscored several key issues:

1. Product Complexity & Data Accuracy: Modern garments are often complex blends of fibres. To make matters worse, a large percentage of garment labels are inaccurate, creating a significant hurdle for recyclers who require pure, well-defined material streams.
2. Designing for the End: True circularity begins on the designer's drawing board. Products must be designed for durability, reuse, and eventual disassembly. This means considering elements like fibre-to-fibre mix, zippers, buttons, and logos that currently complicate the recycling process. Eco-modulation of EPR fees, where producers pay less for creating easily recyclable products, will be a key incentive.
3. Economic Viability: For the sector to thrive, it needs support. Scaling new recycling technologies is expensive. An incentive like a reduced VAT rate on products made from recycled materials could provide a powerful market pull, stimulating demand and investment.
4. Building the Solution Through Partnership and Policy No single company can solve this puzzle alone. It requires a collaborative ecosystem where policy, compliance, and operations work in harmony. This is the foundation of the ERP Netherlands-Erdotex partnership.

ERP and Landbell Group bring expertise in creating and managing competitive EPR systems, ensuring producer funds are transparently and effectively used to build the necessary infrastructure. Erdotex provides the on-the-ground operational excellence, demonstrating what is possible in collection and sorting at scale. Together, we are addressing the need for clear sorting specifications so that recyclers receive the exact feedstock they need. We advocate for clear and fair regulations, such as the Waste Shipment Regulation, which is essential for ensuring textiles are managed responsibly and not contributing to pollution in other countries.

As pointed out by Pernille Filemon, Sales and Textiles Products Specialist at ERP Netherlands, “We help our clients to be compliant in an easy way, keep them involved in the transition to circularity and also invest in innovation, to truly drive change in the textile industry.”

As nations like the Netherlands set ambitious targets, aiming for 75% reuse and recycling, the pressure is on to deliver. The commitment to meeting that challenge and providing producers with a reliable and forward-thinking solution for their textile obligations is a key objective.

As suggested by Tjaco Twigt, Country General Manager at ERP Netherlands, “We must look beyond the targets of today and do more than just make companies compliant to today’s EPR legislation. We invest in transforming the reverse supply chain, by motivating and incentivising our partners to grow, transform and be part of a future with more circular textiles.”

By connecting the dots from consumer collection to high-quality recycling feedstock, we are not just complying with legislation; we are actively building the circular economy of tomorrow!

For more information, please visit: https://textiles-epr.com/

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