It’s (almost) the end of a remarkable journey. Over the past 2.5 years, we at Ariadne took on the role of guiding five textile labs within the Labs on Fibre project. These labs were no theoretical exercise. We rolled up our sleeves, moved from intention to action, and launched five real-world pilot projects focused on the collection and sorting of end-of-life textiles.
The result? Strong value chains that demonstrate what’s possible when collaboration meets determination. These pilots have laid the groundwork for scalable, sustainable partnerships that tackle one of the textile sector’s biggest challenges: giving non-reusable textiles a second life.
The project, funded by VLAIO, is entering its final phase. This summer, we’re bundling the key lessons and insights into a practical guide, one that offers a clear, actionable roadmap for sorters across the industry. Because knowledge should lead to impact, and we want every player in the chain to benefit from what’s been learned.
A special thank-you goes to project leader Els Houttequiet (HERWIN). Her leadership was the glue between partners, her coordination the fuel that drove progress. Building circular chains is rarely straightforward, it demands adaptability, empathy, and persistence. All partners showed these qualities in abundance. What started as an ambitious idea evolved into a powerful and hopeful collaboration.
From Ariadne’s perspective, this project confirms our commitment: to continue tackling the sector’s most pressing issues: the disconnect between supply and demand and the inherent complexity of circular partnerships. We’re proud to have contributed to this transition, and we’re energized for what comes next.
The Labs on Fibre closing event
The closing event on Friday 20/6 marked more than the end of Labs on Fibre. It was a moment to reflect on what we’ve built together: a new foundation for post-consumer textile recycling. Together with a diverse and committed group of partners, from Kringwinkel ViTeS and Oxfam to VITO, Centexbel and JBC & HNST, we explored how to valorize the often-overlooked “undercurrent” of collected textiles: the fraction that can’t be reused but still holds untapped value.
The facts are sobering:
- Flanders discards 83,000 tons of textiles annually
- Only 5.4% is reused locally
- 29% is exported, often to uncertain ends
- 47% is incinerated
- Just 18% is recycled, and mostly in low-value applications
Through this project, we’ve learned that composition is key. High-quality recycling requires pure material streams, achievable only with advanced sorting (like NIR scanning). But today’s landscape is skewed by overproduction and fast fashion: think 4.5 billion poor-quality garments dumped annually, many from ultra-fast fashion players. Sorting centers like the Kringwinkels can’t keep up.
We’ve also seen that the market for recycled materials remains immature. Buyers want strict specs but don’t offer consistent demand. Initiatives like Purfi show promise with soft mechanical recycling, though post-consumer input remains a stretch. Small-scale experiments, like HNST producing jeans from collected denim or the creation of felt panels, offer a glimpse of what’s possible. But scale, investment, and strong policy are essential for systemic change.
Labs on Fibre doesn’t feel like an ending, more like the beginning of something bigger. A stepping stone toward industrial upscaling and real impact. With shared ambition, bold thinking, and supportive regulation, we can and must build a truly circular textile system.
👉 Read more: labsonfibre.be
The Living Lab Partners:
#VLAIO #WeMakeHope #Centexbel #VITO #HNST #Oxfam #KringloopwinkelAntwerpen #kringloopwinkelAteljee #KringwinkelViTes #KringwinkelZuiderkempen #JBC #HERW!N