Textile Exchange’s 2026 data show rising recycled output, but virgin fossil-based fibres still account for most additional production.
Global fibre production reached an estimated 139 million tonnes in 2025, up from 132 million tonnes in 2024, according to Textile Exchange’s Materials Market Report 2026. The seven-million-tonne increase represents approximately 5.3% growth and covers all end uses, including apparel, home textiles and technical applications.
Virgin fossil-based output expands
Virgin fossil-based fibre production increased from approximately 81 million to 86 million tonnes. That five-million-tonne rise accounted for roughly 71% of the overall production increase, calculated from Textile Exchange’s rounded figures.
Polyester remained the largest fibre category, reaching 82.5 million tonnes and retaining a 59% market share. Virgin fossil-based polyester represented 72.8 million tonnes, or approximately 88% of polyester output.
Recycling grows more slowly
Recycled polyester production increased from approximately 9.4 million tonnes in 2024 to 9.7 million tonnes in 2025. Plastic bottles supplied 97% of that recycled output, highlighting the distinction between bottle-derived polyester and textile-to-textile recycling.
Across all fibres, textile-to-textile recycled production represented just 0.76% of global output in 2025, compared with 0.61% in 2021. Cotton remained the second-largest category at 25.7 million tonnes, while manmade cellulosic fibres accounted for approximately 7% of production.
Reporting brands show a different sourcing mix
Textile Exchange’s separate Materials Benchmark covered 384 participating brands and retailers, including subsidiaries. Among these companies, recycled polyester’s share of polyester sourcing increased from 67% to 76% between 2024 and 2025.
However, textile-to-textile feedstocks remained at 2% of their reported usage across cotton, polyester, nylon, viscose and wool. Participants also identified an unknown country of origin for 79% of raw materials used, indicating persistent traceability gaps. These findings describe reporting companies rather than the entire industry.
Looking ahead, the figures point to two distinct priorities: expanding textile-derived recycled supply and improving material-origin data. For Pakistani manufacturers, documenting feedstock sources and recycled content can support buyer discussions, while product-specific carbon assessments remain necessary to quantify environmental performance.
