15,400,000
Textile Waste (tonnes per annum)
- Cotton
- Polyester
- Viscose
- Nylon
- Acrylic
- Wool
- Silk
- Acetate
- Elastane
- Undefined
Data methodology
The post-consumer textile waste characterization study collected information about product type, fiber composition, color, and disruptors using a combination of manual assessment and NIR technology. This Project analyzed a total of 14.84 tonnes of post-consumer garments across 5 regions of the U.S (California, Colorado, Texas, Florida, and New York). On-the-ground evaluations were conducted over two time periods, summer/spring 2023 and autumn/winter 2023, to account for seasonal differences in the garments entering sorting/grading facilities. The project focused on residential post-consumer textiles only.
Notes
In terms of suitability for recycling, approximately 9% of residential post-consumer textiles are suitable for mechanical fiber-to-fiber cotton recycling and up to 56% are suitable for chemical fiber-to-fiber recycling. Textiles for mechanical recycling considered only single-layer & single-color cotton, with 90% or higher target fiber composition, and no/removable disruptors. Textiles for chemical recycling considered only single-layer cotton, polyester, and nylon, with 80% or higher target fiber composition, or any poly-cotton blends.