SOLSTICE's Territory Profile: Catalonia

The global textile industry is only 0.3% circular, with over 99% of its 3.25 billion tonnes of annual material use coming from virgin sources. Fibre consumption per capita has nearly doubled since 1975 and continues to rise, while most discarded textiles are still landfilled or incinerated. This unsustainable system drives severe environmental and social impacts. The circular economy offers a pathway forward through strategies like reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle.

The SOLSTICE project, funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, aims to tackle the textile industry’s challenges by piloting circular solutions in Berlin, Grenoble, Catalonia, and Prato. In collaboration with local partners, Circle Economy conducted a comprehensive analysis of each territory’s textile ecosystem—covering material flows, employment, consumer behaviour, and environmental impact—to guide tailored circular interventions.

Catalonia’s textile sector employs about 90,800 people, mostly in traditional retail and distribution. Circular roles like second-hand retail (737 jobs) and repair (4,446 jobs) are limited, with little data on recycling or design. Consumer habits vary: young people lean toward fast fashion, while older groups prioritize quality. Awareness of circular options is low, and second-hand stigma persists. Despite active initiatives, textile consumption (21 kg/person) nearly equals disposal (19.4 kg/person). Access to circular services is uneven, with 80% covered mainly in urban areas. Rural zones face gaps. Waste collection is low—only 13.2% is sorted separately, and 82.4% goes to landfill or incineration. Local recycling is absent. The sector emits 1.65 million tonnes of CO₂e yearly. Reducing consumption and expanding reuse, repair, and recycling are key to lowering impact.