Eurostat data reveals textile waste generation across European Union nations in 2024

According to recent Eurostat figures for 2024, the European Union generated 2.27 million tonnes of textile waste out of a total of nearly 2.2 billion tonnes of overall waste. Italy recorded the highest volume of textile waste within the bloc, reaching 441,736 tonnes, with 280,680 tonnes treated and recycled. France and Germany followed, reporting 339,965 tonnes and 212,107 tonnes of textile waste respectively. Recovery operations were responsible for 91% of the total textile waste treatment across the EU.

Regional data highlights significant differences in waste generation. Cyprus produced 3,206 tonnes of textile waste as part of a total 4.04 million tonnes of waste generated in the country. In contrast, Greece generated 12,793 tonnes of textile waste out of approximately 30 million tonnes of total waste. Across the entire European Union, households were identified as the primary source of textile waste, contributing more than half of the total volume. Statistics indicate that approximately 1.4 million tonnes of the generated textile waste were treated, which equates to an overall treatment rate of 63%.