3.7.3 Data gaps/further research......................................................................................
To build up stronger evidence of the benefits of textile recycling, there is a need for LCA studies that focus on a
larger set of indicators rather than only on carbon impacts or energy consumption.
In addition, no study assessing ‘closed-loop’ recycling whereby recycled fibres are used in the manufacture of
new clothing has been found. This would be an interesting issue to investigate as it could bring more benefits
than using textile waste to replace low quality products such as wipers. Indeed, from an economic point of view,
wipers have a very limited economic value; therefore it could be more attractive to recover energy from them by
incineration. It would also be interesting to check how the performances of recycling can vary from one
geographical area to another since the available recycling technologies may differ.
Moreover, textile fibres are very diverse and can have different characteristics. A comparison of the
environmental performances of different end-of-life options for the various types of fibres would thus also be
advisable since it might reveal that the environmentally preferred alternative depends on the fibre type.