Spain
download summary
Country Overview
*All data is in tonnes per annum
TEXTILE WASTE
2,116,000
Post consumer textile waste
1,036,840
Cotton
42.17%
Polyester
10.70%
Poly cotton
12.46%
Acrylic
4.79%
Viscose
4.31%
Wool
1.76%
Polyamide
1.28%
Other blends
19.33%
Other pure materials
0.80%
Unknown
2.40%
pre consumer textile waste
Post Industrial textile waste
Cotton
Polyester
Poly cotton
Acrylic
Viscose
Wool
Polyamide
Other blends
Other pure materials
Unknown
Imported textile waste
Cotton
Polyester
Poly cotton
Acrylic
Viscose
Wool
Polyamide
Other blends
Other pure materials
Unknown
*This data is collectively from Spain, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Poland, & Belgium.
KEY POINTS ON T&a LANDSCAPE
T&A Industry Significant GDP Contribution and Key EU Exporter/Importer
€13.6B
Apparel export (2023)
€19.14B
Apparel Import (2023)
T&A is vital to the Spanish economy, contributing 2.8% of the national GDP and 8.7% of all exports. Though a net importer of apparel, it stands as one of the top 6 EU apparel exporters and importers with 63.6% of it coming from developing countries.
Second Largest Cotton producer within the EU
125,000 bales
of 480 pounds each Cotton Export (2023/24)
Spain is the EU’s second-largest cotton grower after Greece, producing just over 20% of the EU’s cotton output, with cultivation almost entirely concentrated in Andalucía (Guadalquivir River basin). The country’s cotton textile processing industry, however, is primarily located in Catalonia, forming the main hub for yarn spinning, weaving, and fabric production.
SME-Driven, Fragmented Structure with Mass-Market Focus
80%
Textile Firms are SMEs
92%
Garment Firms are SMEs
Spain’s T&A sector is SME-driven and highly fragmented, relying on subcontracting, with vertical integration largely limited to large groups like Inditex. Most companies operate as small, specialized units within broader supply chains. The industry primarily focuses on mass-market and mid-value fashion.
Leading Recycled Fiber Producer with Mechanical Recycling
12%
Used clothing is recycled within Spain
88%
Used clothes end in landfills
Spain is considered the leading manufacturer of recycled fibre in Europe. Producing around 61,000 of which 50,000 tonnes derive from pre-consumer textile waste. With an estimated waste rate of 19 kg/person, Spain generates 890,244 tonnes of textile waste annually, of which only 108,296 tonnes are sorted. Recycling in Spain is mainly mechanical and labour-intensive.
waste cost
waste Type
composition
price
notes
Post-Consumer
Cotton / Wool / Acrylic
€0.02–0.14 / kg
Feedstock for fibre-to-fibre recycling
Other Notes
- Spain has a 4% separate capture rate, meaning only this share of textiles is collected separately from general municipal waste, enabling diversion from landfills or incineration and providing cleaner feedstock for reuse and recycling
- Much of Spain’s recycled fibre output comes from pre-consumer waste, which is cleaner and easier to recycle than post-consumer textiles. Apart from this, it also has a supportive ecosystem that directly enables and incentivizes the recycling infrastructure and processes that underpin its leadership in recycled textile fibre production.
production clusters
Key regions with fibre production
Seville(A), Cadiz(B), Cordoba(C), and Jaen(D)
Key regions with apparel production
Catalonia(A), Castile-Leon(B), the Valencian Community(C), Galicia and Madrid(D)
Other Notes
- Spanish textile giant Inditex also increased its production in Spain by 13% in 2022. It has 10 of its own production plants in Galicia, which set the group's standard for the rest of its suppliers and manufacturers.
Waste regulation
Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril (Law on Waste and Contaminated Soils for a Circular Economy)
It is a comprehensive Spanish law that transposes the EU Directive 2018/851 into national law. It mandates that an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime for textiles must be operational in Spain by April 2025. Article 12 assigns responsibility to local municipalities for selectively collecting and managing municipal textile waste, while Additional Provision 19 requires that at least 50% of the value of textile waste management contracts must be awarded to social enterprises or special employment centers, thereby promoting social inclusion and employment.
Spain’s PERTE Economía Circular
It is a strategic initiative with €492 million in funding, aiming to accelerate the implementation of the Spain Circular Strategy 2030 by targeting sectors such as textiles for sustainable design, enhanced recycling, and efficient resource management. The program seeks to reduce reliance on virgin raw materials, improve waste management, and promote business innovation in circular economy projects
España Circular 2030
In this, the textile and garment sector is identified as one of the key areas for circular economy action. The strategy emphasizes the need for a transition from a linear to a circular model in this sector, aiming to reduce environmental impacts associated with textile production and consumption. Specific objectives include promoting eco-design, enhancing recycling processes, and encouraging the reuse of textile materials to extend their lifecycle and reduce waste generation.
EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles
EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles is a comprehensive plan aiming to transform how textiles are designed, produced, consumed, and disposed of across the EU. It includes measures to make textiles durable, repairable, recyclable, and largely made of recycled fibers, while addressing overproduction, microplastic release, and greenwashing. The strategy sets the goal to achieve a sustainable and circular textile sector by 2030, aligned with the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan.
Waste Framework Directive
Strengthens waste management by mandating all EU member states to separately collect textile waste from January 1, 2025 and imposing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes requiring producers to finance and organize the entire lifecycle management of their products’ waste. It emphasizes the waste hierarchy prioritizing prevention, preparing for reuse, recycling, recovery, and environmentally sound disposal, with clear definitions on when waste ceases to be waste (end-of-waste criteria)
EU Waste Shipment Regulation
Effective May 20, 2024, it tightens controls on waste shipments, including textiles, within and outside the EU. It bans most waste exports for disposal after May 21, 2026, requires audits, digital tracking, and enforces stricter penalties. The law supports the circular economy by ensuring environmentally safe waste management.
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
Effective July 18, 2024, it mandates durability, repairability, recyclability, and increased recycled content for textiles and most products. It requires Digital Product Passports, bans destruction of unsold textiles by large companies, and enforces life cycle environmental impact reduction. The regulation enables product-specific rules and harmonized penalties, driving a circular economy and sustainable production.
Waste trade
46.81 kT
Import quantities (HS 6309, 631010)
138.98 kT
Export quantities (HS 6309, 631010)
Other Notes
- Spain is the EU's second largest exporter of textile waste outside of EU. Spain itself, is the main export destination for textile waste originating from Portugal, although to a much smaller extent
- Top EU country where textile waste is landfilled ( (20,517 tonnes)
green energy
18.96%
Share of modern renewables in final energy consumption
Other Notes
- Renewable Electricity Generation by source: Wind (44.6%), Solar PV (30%), Hydro (21.6%)
- Corporate Tax Deductions: Companies can deduct up to 10% of the investment made in renewable energy installations, including solar photovoltaic systems, from their corporate tax liability. This deduction can be applied cumulatively over multiple tax periods.
- Accelerated Amortization: Businesses can amortize up to 50% of the value of the solar system in the first year, with the remainder in subsequent years. This accelerated depreciation allows companies to recover their investment more quickly, improving cash flow and financial position
