More than 80% of Dutch consumers consider clothing recycling important, but fewer than half believe clothing donated is recycled, says research conducted by Reju
PARIS, Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Reju, the purpose-driven, leading textile-to-textile regeneration company, has conducted research among more than 1,000 Dutch consumers to understand their attitudes towards textile waste and recycling.
Reju is focused on creating innovative solutions for recycling post-consumer polyester textiles and PET recovered from the waste stream. The company's vision is to create a world designed to last with a mission to develop a closed-loop circular textile system that enables textiles to be recirculated, eliminating the traditional linear model of disposal.
Following their announcement in May 2025 of Chemelot Industrial Park in Sittard-Geleen, Netherlands, as the site selection for its first industrial scale regeneration center, Reju presents the following findings.
The survey reveals that consumer confidence in the current recycling system remains limited. While 82.7% of Dutch consumers consider clothing recycling important, fewer than half believe that collected clothing gets a second life. At the same time, nearly half of respondents say they would recycle more clothing if they had greater confidence in the system.
Consumers see themselves as conscious shoppers
Dutch consumers generally view themselves as responsible clothing buyers. More than 80% of respondents say they primarily purchase clothing that they wear frequently (80.9%) or use for a long time (82.8%). Impulse buying appears to be limited, with only 8.6% indicating that they are likely or very likely to purchase clothing on impulse. Similarly, only 17.5% say they buy clothing for specific occasions, while nearly 58% consider this unlikely.
Donation remains popular, resale lags behind
When clothing is no longer worn, consumers overwhelmingly choose to donate it. More than 75% of respondents say they are likely or very likely to donate clothing through collection schemes. These collection schemes allow for post-consumer textile waste to enter into the circular textile system, reducing the possibility that it ends up being incinerated or in landfill. Notably, resale through secondhand platforms remains significantly less popular, with only 15.1% reporting that they sell clothing through platforms. Disposing of clothing in household waste is also relatively uncommon: only 11.6% say they are likely to throw clothing away, while more than 73% consider this unlikely.
Uncertainty hinders circular behaviour
Although many Dutch consumers express a willingness to contribute to more sustainable clothing consumption, doubts remain about the effectiveness of current collection and recycling systems. A significant proportion of respondents are unable to say whether collected clothing receives a second life or how actors across the textile value chain play their part in the process.
"The results show that consumers are willing to adopt more sustainable clothing habits, but transparency and trust are crucial to encouraging circular behaviour," said Patrik Frisk, CEO of Reju. "Reju is committed to building a more transparent and circular textile value chain alongside our partners. We want to give consumers greater visibility into what happens to discarded textiles and demonstrate that clothing can genuinely be transformed into new raw materials. Our planned facility at Chemelot is intended to help scale this circular system."
The findings indicate that consumers are willing to engage in more sustainable clothing practices, but there is still work to be done to strengthen confidence for the industry. By increasing transparency around what happens to discarded and collected textiles and investing in innovative recycling technologies, the circular textile value chain can be further strengthened.
About Reju
Reju is a materials regeneration company focused on creating innovative solutions for regenerating polyester textiles and post-consumer PET waste. Owned by Technip Energies and utilizing technology originating with IBM Research, Reju is driven by its purpose to unlock infinite possibilities within finite resources. The company aims to establish a global textile recycling circular system to regenerate and recirculate polyester textiles. Learn more at https://www.reju.com/.
About Technip Energies
Technip Energies is a global technology and engineering powerhouse. With leadership positions in LNG, hydrogen, ethylene, sustainable chemistry, and CO2 management, we are contributing to the development of critical markets such as energy, energy derivatives, decarbonization, and circularity. Our complementary business segments, Technology, Products and Services (TPS) and Project Delivery, turn innovation into scalable and industrial reality.
Through collaboration and excellence in execution, our 18,000+ employees across 35 countries are fully committed to bridging prosperity with sustainability for a world designed to last.
Technip Energies generated revenues of €7.2 billion in 2025 and is listed on Euronext Paris. The Company also has American Depositary Receipts trading over the counter.
For further information: www.ten.com
About the research
The survey was conducted in April 2026 by Multiscope, a Dutch market research agency specializing in online research into consumer behavior, brands, and trends. The research involved 1,006 Dutch consumers. Of the respondents, 52.2% were female and 47.8% were male. In terms of age distribution, 10.2% were between 18 and 34 years old, 36.8% were between 35 and 54 years old, and 53% were aged 55 or older.
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