Textiles are everywhere: in our clothes, sofas, curtains, mattresses, cars and even wind turbines. Yet today, only about a quarter of all textile fibres worldwide come from natural sources such as cotton, wool, flax or hemp. And those materials could become increasingly scarce in the years ahead.
Due to stricter European environmental regulations and growing consumer demand for more sustainable products, experts are warning of a shortage of lower-impact textile fibres by 2030. Think organic cotton, wool or recycled materials. Without a major boost in recycling, prices are likely to rise. Or xan innovations and new materials turn the tide?
Amount of natural fibres in textile
Synthetic fibres still dominate
The textile market is currently dominated by synthetic fibres, especially polyester. They are cheap, easy to produce and deeply embedded in global supply chains. Natural fibres account for only about 25% of total production, with cotton as the main contributor.
That share is barely increasing, while demand for more sustainable materials is growing rapidly. The result is greater competition for the same raw materials.
Regulation
Target
Status
Digital Product Passport (DPP)
Transparency + traceability
DPP is a part of ESPR – ecodesign for sustainable product regulation (from 2027 on)
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Producer pays for collecting and recyling of waste
Mandatory in EU-regulations, implementation in memberstates
Separat waste collection
Better recycling base
Mandatory since 2025
Ecodesign criteria
Sustainable design regulations
Under ESPR, including recycled content – design for recyclability
Promoting recycling- and reuse
Less waste more circularity
EU-strategy and EPR-financing
Why recycling is so difficult
Many people assume that natural materials are automatically easier to recycle, but the reality is more complex. Most textile products are made from fibre blends. Stretch denim, for example, combines cotton with elastane or polyester to improve comfort and shape retention.
These blends make recycling much harder. Natural fibres become shorter with each recycling cycle and quickly lose their usability. Synthetic fibres can be chemically recycled, but only if they are sufficiently pure.
Promising solutions, slow progress
Innovative solutions already exist. In Europe, old fishing nets are transformed into new nylon fibres that can be reused without loss of quality. Belgian companies are also developing products made entirely from a single material, making them easier to recycle.
The “green plastic” Vioneo wanted to make in Antwerpen – but is now choosing for China – is polypropyleen (PP) and polyethyleen (PE) produced from methanol, and PP/PE, all wellknown textile polymers.
For now, however, these initiatives remain the exception. The transition to more sustainable materials takes time, investment and new production methods.
Experiments with algae, elephant dung and roots
Algae and seaweed are used to make bio-based fibres and yarns, for example using alginate extracted from kelp and converted into webbing that is processed into fibre strands and fabrics.
In Asia, there are initiatives to make fibrous products from elephant dung, as it contains a lot of undigested plant cellulose; this is similar in processing to pulp or felt-like textile materials.
Zena Holloway is a bio-designer, maker and founder of Rootfull. With over 25 years as an underwater photographer and creative director, she leverages her understanding of marine ecosystems to design sustainable, living materials. Her work transforms plant roots into contemporary lighting and artefacts that echo the forms and textures of marine life.
What does this mean for consumers?
If sustainable materials remain scarcer than demand, products with a lower environmental impact are likely to become more expensive. At the same time, brands that fail to meet new regulations risk fines or market restrictions, which could limit consumer choice.
Consumers do have a role to play. Choosing sustainable labels, supporting transparent brands and recycling or reusing textiles all make a difference. From 2027 onwards, a Digital Product Passport will also provide more insight into the origin and environmental impact of textile products.
Sustainable textiles are no longer optional. The real question is how quickly the industry can adapt — and who will ultimately pay the price.
