The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), together with relevant departments, issued the Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Recycling of Used Textiles (Fa Gai Huan Zi [2022] No. 526), setting clear targets: by 2025, the recycling rate of used textiles should reach 25% and recycled fiber output should reach 2 million tons; by 2030, the recycling rate should reach 30% and recycled fiber output should reach 3 million tons. A responsible official of the NDRC answered questions from journalists on this matter, providing explanations on the background, overall considerations, principles and targets, specific measures, and support arrangements.

Key Points

  • The Implementation Opinions were issued by the NDRC together with relevant departments, with the document number Fa Gai Huan Zi [2022] No. 526.
  • The targets are set in two steps: by 2025, a 25% recycling rate and 2 million tons of recycled fiber output; by 2030, a 30% recycling rate and 3 million tons of recycled fiber output.
  • Nine measures are proposed around three stages—production, recycling, and comprehensive utilization—along with three support measures and three work requirements.

Background

The NDRC stated that recycling used textiles can effectively supplement the supply of raw materials for the textile industry and ease pressure on resources and the environment. Although relevant departments have promoted industry development in recent years through tax incentives, financial support, and other means, and progress has been made, the industry still faces problems such as an insufficiently developed recycling system, relatively weak key technologies, industry standards that need improvement, and low comprehensive utilization efficiency.

Overall Considerations and Working Principles

The Implementation Opinions aim to increase the recycling rate of used textiles, focusing on removing bottlenecks and pain points in key stages such as recycling, trading and circulation, fine sorting, and comprehensive utilization, and strengthening full-chain management. The overall considerations also emphasize implementing the requirement of "comprehensively improving resource utilization efficiency" put forward at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and promoting a recycling system featuring government guidance, market-based operation, and broad participation by society as a whole.

The document proposes four working principles: government guidance and market operation; systematic advancement and key breakthroughs; innovation leadership and large-scale utilization; and quality and efficiency improvement and standardized development. Among them, "key breakthroughs" clearly identify used uniform clothing as a priority for breakthroughs, while "quality and efficiency improvement" proposes advancing the integration of small and scattered projects and actively cultivating backbone enterprises.

Nine Specific Measures

The Implementation Opinions focus on three stages of used textiles—production, recycling, and comprehensive utilization—and deploy nine specific measures.

In promoting green and low-carbon production in the textile industry, these include advancing green design of textiles, encouraging the use of green fibers, and strengthening the social responsibility of textile producers.

In improving the used textile recycling system, these include improving the recycling network, broadening recycling channels, and strengthening recycling management.

In promoting comprehensive utilization of used textiles, these include standardizing reuse, promoting the development of the regeneration industry, and implementing key breakthroughs in uniform clothing.

Support and Safeguards

The Implementation Opinions arrange three support measures. In terms of standards, they improve a series of standards for recycling, disinfection, sorting, and comprehensive utilization, establish and improve the recycling standards system, and revise and implement relevant management measures, codes of conduct, technical requirements, and normative conditions.

In terms of science and technology, key technologies for used textile recycling are included in the National Key R&D Program, accelerating breakthroughs in key technologies and equipment such as fiber identification, efficient sorting, separation of blended materials, and regeneration and utilization, and encouraging industry-university-research cooperation to promote R&D and industrial application of advanced and applicable technologies and equipment.

In terms of policy support, they implement tax incentives for comprehensive resource utilization, provide credit products and services to enterprises in accordance with the law, support eligible enterprises in issuing green bonds, and encourage localities with the conditions to provide financial support.

Organization and Implementation

The Implementation Opinions put forward three work requirements. Strengthen overall coordination, requiring relevant local departments to establish coordination mechanisms and strengthen policy linkages; strengthen typical guidance, supporting large and medium-sized cities in taking the lead in establishing recycling systems and exploring efficient utilization models, cultivating backbone enterprises, and supporting key project construction; and carry out publicity and guidance, encouraging public institutions to use recycled products made from used textiles, and organizing promotional theme activities, joint initiatives by enterprises to use recycled fibers, and innovation design competition promotion activities.

Source: Responsible Official of the National Development and Reform Commission Answers Questions on the Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Recycling of Used Textiles · Originally published on 2025-12-23