From the Sector

The EU textile system is at a critical crossroads. Today, less than 1% of discarded garrments are recycled into new garments, despite EU-wide obligations for separate collection.

In response, Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) is launching the 2030 Circularity Blueprint, in partnership with ReHubs. This ambitious initiative is designed to support the transformation of the EU textile ecosystem to advance textile-to-textile recycling and drive the transition to a circular economy. The Blueprint will be officially presented at the Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition on 6 May - one of the world’s leading forums for sustainability in fashion - bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to accelerate collective action.

Building on the ambitions of GFA’s 2020 Circular Fashion System Commitment and grounded in robust industry and value chain engagement, the Blueprint identifies and addresses the systemic fragmentation that has long hindered progress. It introduces a coordinated roadmap to close collection gaps, align stakeholders, and unlock the estimated €8–11 billion Capital Expenditure required to build Europe’s textile-to-textile recycling infrastructure.

Accelerating System-Level Change
The 2030 Circularity Blueprint sets out a clear implementation pathway - presenting eight interconnected intervention areas that have been designed to address systemic barriers in a coordinated way:

Systemic Conditions:
1.    Shared Framework for Circular & Sustainable Materials 
2.    Textile Waste Intelligence Platform
3.    Demand Signal Initiative: Long-Term Offtake Commitments 

Value Chain Interventions
4.    Designing for the Loop: Circularity at Product Design Stage 
5.    Closing the Collection Gap: Effective Textile Collection Systems 
6.    Closing the Sorting Investment Gap: Demand Certainty for Sorters
7.    Pre-Sorting & Feedstock Preparation: Regional Hub Infrastructure 
8.    Recycling Infrastructure at Scale: A Coordinated CAPEX Roadmap

When implemented correctly, the eight interventions are designed to create a system that turns voluntary ambition into investment-grade infrastructure and scalable industrial capacity by 2030, with the ambition to reach a target of 2.7 million tonnes of textile-to-textile recycling capacity by 2035.

As part of the 2030 Circularity Blueprint, GFA and ReHubs will bring two collaborative programmes to life. The first, led by ReHubs, centres on the 'Textile Waste Intelligence Platform'. The second tackles the critical challenge of closing the collection and sorting gap.

A Collaborative Path Forward
The 2030 Circularity Blueprint is designed as a dynamic, collaborative ecosystem, bringing together stakeholders across the value chain to co-create solutions, share ownership, and track progress. It will require coordinated, cohesive effort from all stakeholders - across brands, sorters, recyclers, infrastructure operators, and policymakers - working in alignment rather than in parallel.  The intervention areas will be advanced in partnership with other organisations ready to lead and invest. 

Call to Action:
GFA and ReHubs are actively seeking funding, partnerships, and contributions to bring the full 2030 Circularity Blueprint to life. Organisations are invited to lead and support the remaining intervention areas critical to achieving Europe’s circular textile ambitions.

To further catalyse progress, GFA is issuing a Call to Action for a Targeted Policy Incentive Framework, with concrete suggestions on how to unlock the secondary raw materials market in the EU. While demand for recycled feedstock is rising, cost remains a key barrier: recycled inputs currently command a premium ranging from approximately 20% to as much as double the price of virgin materials. Addressing this will require stronger demand through public procurement, more harmonised and fit-for-purpose Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems across countries, clearer requirements for the use of recycled materials, and increased investment in recycling infrastructure.

Recognising that scaling circular textiles requires aligning economic drivers with policy ambition, the proposal sets out targeted incentive measures across EU legislative and financial instruments. It urges the European Commission to integrate these across existing and forthcoming frameworks, while encouraging Member States to operationalise them at national level, ensuring that circular solutions can compete and scale in practice.

Federica Marchionni, CEO, GFA, says: "The vision for a textile circular economy is clear, and innovation is gaining ground. Yet progress is stalled by supply–demand deadlocks, compounded by a fragmented landscape where initiatives and stakeholders operate in silos, often unaware of their interdependence. Furthermore, without precise incentives to align efforts and investment, progress cannot move at the pace required.

Evan Wiener, Interim COO and Board Advisor to ReHubs, says: “Unlocking textile circularity at scale requires the full value chain to move together. ReHubs brings leading organisations from across the textile recycling value chain to the same table to align interests, orchestrate investment, and turn fragmented efforts into a functioning ecosystem. This collaborative initiative directly supports our strategy to industrialise textile-to-textile recycling and break the supply–demand deadlock at scale.”

The 2030 Circularity Blueprint aims to change that—identifying key bottlenecks and leveraging interconnections to unlock the potential of the circular value chain: turning ambition into tangible progress.

Source Fashion has announced a refreshed Advisory Board, bringing together leading voices from across fashion, retail, sustainability and media to help shape the next phase of Source Fashion’s growth and industry impact. As the industry navigates increasing complexity across supply chains, regulation and responsible sourcing, the strengthened board reflects Source Fashion’s commitment to driving meaningful industry collaboration and delivering practical, commercially relevant solutions for buyers and manufacturers.

Advisory Board Expanded with New Members
The new Advisory Board appointments strengthen expertise across circularity, responsible sourcing and industry insight. New members include Kirsty McGregor, journalist and former Vogue Business editor; Rosie Cripps, Head of Circularity at Vivobarefoot; Miranda Beckett, Fashion Project Manager at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation; and James Sleater, CEO of Buffalo Systems.

Together, they bring a wealth of experience spanning global fashion media, circular business models and systems-level change across the industry. Kirsty McGregor is widely recognised for her systems-level understanding of fashion’s supply chain challenges, with particular expertise in materials innovation, circularity and onshoring.

Rosie Cripps brings expertise in translating circular business models into commercially viable solutions, supporting Source Fashion’s focus on delivering responsible sourcing grounded in real-world application. Miranda Beckett contributes a systems-level perspective on circularity through her work at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, helping to connect industry ambition with practical frameworks for change across the fashion supply chain. James Sleater, CEO of Buffalo Systems, brings deep experience in UK manufacturing and technical apparel production, offering valuable insight into building resilient, high-quality supply chains at a time of growing demand for British-made products.

Rosie Cripps commented, “I’m delighted to be joining the Source Fashion Advisory Board. Source Fashion plays a vital role in bringing the industry together around responsible sourcing grounded in commercial reality. I’m really looking forward to collaborating with the Source team and fellow board advisors to help contribute meaningful, practical progress across the industry.”

Miranda Beckett added, “I’m delighted to be joining Source Fashion’s Advisory Board at such a pivotal moment for the industry. Source Fashion plays a vital role in connecting brands, suppliers and innovators around the shared challenge of building responsible supply chains. I look forward to contributing to conversations that help turn a vision of a circular economy for fashion into a practical reality for sourcing professionals across the sector.”

Existing board members provide continued industry leadership
The new appointments join an established group of Advisory Board members drawn from across retail, sourcing, sustainability and policy. Existing members include Oliver Bruckner, Product Director at JOSEPH; Hayley Shore, Design Director at PepsiCo; Simon Platts, former Sourcing Director at ASOS; Lauretta Roberts, CEO of TheIndustry.fashion; Nicola Kirby, Commercial Director at Bhartiya Group; Mark Sumner, Policy Lead at WRAP; Nick Reed, Founder of Neem London; and Helena Mansell-Stopher, CEO of Products of Change.

Together, the board brings a broad cross-section of industry expertise, ensuring Source Fashion remains closely aligned with the evolving needs of brands, retailers and manufacturers, while continuing to provide a platform for informed discussion, collaboration and practical progress across the fashion supply chain.

The Advisory Board will play a key role in shaping the direction of Source Fashion, from content and programming to wider industry engagement. 

Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Fashion, said, “As Source Fashion continues to grow, it’s essential that we are guided by the right mix of industry voices. Our Advisory Board brings together leaders who are not only shaping the future of fashion but are deeply engaged in the practical challenges facing sourcing, manufacturing and supply chains today. In order for our programme and event to remain industry leading, these voices are vital as businesses reflect on the tsunami of challenges ahead, from commercial challenges, new regulatory frameworks and unprecedented levels of volatility that is now just business as usual. Their insight ensures that everything we deliver, from the show floor to our content programme, remains relevant, commercially focused and aligned with where the industry is heading.”

She added, “The addition of new members strengthens our ability to reflect the evolving priorities of the industry, particularly around circularity, responsible sourcing and innovation. By bringing these perspectives together, we’re able to create a platform that not only responds to change but actively helps drive it.”