European textile recycling is navigating a severe structural bottleneck, prompting the ReHubs alliance to appoint Béatrice Moureaux as its new Chief Executive Officer. Moureaux steps into the role as the continent struggles to bridge a massive operational divide: Europe generates approximately 15.2 million tons of textile waste annually, yet less than 1 per cent is processed back into new garments. Industry stakeholders note, technological capabilities exist, but the primary obstacle remains financial viability and supply-chain synchronization.

Bridging the commercial mismatch

The core friction in the current market involves raw material suppliers seeking guaranteed demand while apparel brands demand cost-competitive, high-grade recycled fibers. ReHubs has established an ambitious target to achieve an annual textile-to-textile recycling volume of 2.7 million tons by 2035. Realizing this objective requires an estimated capital expenditure ranging between €6-7 billion to build out proper sorting, processing, and manufacturing infrastructure. Moureaux’s leadership aims to harmonize these fragmented commercial interests across more than 30 member organizations spanning the entire value chain.

Securing Europe’s future with 1 million ton capacity

Operating as a prominent European alliance, ReHubs unites recyclers, manufacturers, and global fashion brands to accelerate circular fiber adoption. Headquartered to coordinate continent-wide industry action, the organization focuses on establishing robust economic frameworks and policy alignment. Backed by strategic research initiatives, ReHubs targets multi-million-tonne industrial capacity by 2035 to secure Europe's sustainable apparel future.