The report, Research & Innovation projects supporting the Circular Economy Act, with a focus on recycled and bio-based content and end-of-waste criteria, prepared by Dr Tom Vöge for the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, examines selected Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects across sectors. The report assesses the technical maturity, environmental and socio-economic impacts, market barriers and regulatory conditions affecting the uptake of recycled and bio-based materials, with a focus on how research and innovation can inform the forthcoming Circular Economy Act.  

Key Insights

• Textile-to-textile recycling covers a broad range of fibres. Projects including SCIRT, T-REX and PR-ecycling address recycling challenges involving cotton, wool, polyester and complex fibre blends, with SCIRT targeting a systemic textile-to-textile recycling system for post-consumer garments and T-REX developing an EU blueprint for closed-loop textile recycling from household collection through to new garment production.
• The textile portfolio is moving towards higher technology maturity. SCIRT is targeting an end Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7, while T-REX is targeting TRL 6-7, placing both projects among the more mature initiatives in the portfolio and closer to industrial deployment.  
• The type and origin of recycled fibre matter. The report distinguishes between textile-to-textile recycled content, such as fibres recovered from old clothes, and non-textile feedstocks, such as polyester garments made using recycled polyethylene terephxthalate (PET) bottles. It identifies the absence of a regulatory distinction between these routes as a policy gap that may favour less optimal outcomes.
• Garment design directly affects recyclability. The SCIRT example proposes lower EPR fees for garments containing a high proportion of textile-to-textile recycled content and for products designed for durability and repairability. It also identifies problematic fibre blends, complex trims and certain chemical finishes as features that can make garments more difficult to recycle.
• The economic gap remains a major barrier for recycled textiles. According to the report, recycled fibres can be 20-30% more expensive than fossil-based virgin fibres. T-REX and SCIRT therefore examine eco-modulated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees as a way of penalising less circular products and supporting recycled-fibre alternatives.
• Pre-processing is an important missing link in textile recycling. The report identifies a regulatory gap around the sorting, cleaning and preparation of textile waste before fibre-to-fibre recovery. Sorted and pre-processed textiles can remain legally classified as waste rather than manufacturing-ready feedstock, creating uncertainty and potentially slowing investment in sorting infrastructure.
• The wider portfolio shows that circularity depends on more than recycling technologies. Across textiles, plastics, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), construction, bio-based materials and composites, the projects combine technologies such as advanced sorting and purification with Digital Product Passports, standardised technical data sheets, regional material hubs and new governance models. The report argues for a shift from measuring recycling by volume alone towards the quality and circularity potential of recovered materials.  

The report demonstrates that a number of circular technologies and business models have progressed towards practical deployment, while textiles remain an important area for further regulatory and market development. For the textile sector in particular, the findings point to the need for clearer rules for pre-processed textile waste, greater recognition of textile-to-textile recycling, better design for recyclability and economic mechanisms that can make recycled fibres more competitive with virgin alternatives.

For more in-depth information, please read the entire report on European Union website.