The bloc treated 1.4 million tonnes of textile waste in the same year, equivalent to 63 per cent of all textile waste generated in 2024.
EU textile waste reached 2.3 million tonnes in 2024, with household disposal accounting for more than half, Eurostat data showed.
The EU treated 1.4 million tonnes, or 63 per cent of generated textile waste; 91 per cent of treated textiles went to recovery operations.
Italy led generation at 441,736 tonnes and treatment at 280,680 tonnes.
Italy was the EU’s largest producer of textile waste, with 441,736 tonnes generated, and also recorded the highest volume treated at 280,680 tonnes. France followed with 339,965 tonnes generated and 258,129 tonnes treated, while Germany generated 212,107 tonnes and treated 207,156 tonnes, the Eurostat said in a press release.
By treatment type, 91 per cent of textiles in the EU were handled through recovery operations. Recycling accounted for 78 per cent of total treated textile waste and incineration with energy recovery for 13 per cent. Landfilling made up 8 per cent of textile waste treatment, while incineration without energy recovery accounted for 1 per cent, the data showed.
Italy and France reported the highest shares of recycled textile waste, at 98 per cent each, followed by Lithuania at 87 per cent and Slovenia at 83 per cent. Latvia reported 0 per cent textile recycling, Estonia 5 per cent and Romania 23 per cent, with Romania’s figure based on 2022 data.
Cyprus, Ireland and Luxembourg reported 0 per cent waste treatment, while data for Sweden and Malta were confidential.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (CG)
