Polyester Recycling: Managing Chemical Risks for a Circular Future 

Published Sept. 8, 2025


Polyester dominates the textile industry. It is durable, affordable, and scalable — but it comes with a heavy environmental cost. Today, polyester makes up more than half of global fiber production, yet less than 1% of polyester is recycled back into textiles. The rest is incinerated, landfilled, or downcycled into lower-value products, contributing to microplastic pollution and long-lasting waste. 

As the fashion industry accelerates toward a circular economy, polyester recycling is positioned as a critical solution. But recycling alone isn’t clean unless the chemistry is safe. To achieve true, scalable circularity, the industry must address the chemical risks in polyester recycling. 

Why Polyester Recycling Matters 

Polyester’s share of the global fiber market has grown from approximately 15% in 1975 to over 54% today — and it is projected to reach 67% by 2030. Without effective recycling systems, the industry will continue to depend on virgin, fossil-based inputs and face mounting environmental challenges.

Regulatory pressure is also intensifying: 

• EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR): introduces the Digital Product Passport (DPP) and mandates recyclability and recycled content. 

• EU Waste Framework Directive: requires separate textile waste collection and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). 

• California SB 707: the first mandatory U.S. EPR scheme for textiles, requiring brands to comply by 2030. 

• EU REACH restrictions: expanding to cover skin-sensitizing dyes, PFAS, and other substances common in textiles — creating major compliance challenges and significantly increasing the need for advanced chemical recycling technologies.  

For brands and suppliers, polyester recycling is no longer optional — it is becoming a compliance requirement, a sustainability differentiator, and a market advantage. 

(Learn more in our article on PFAS in clothing). 

Mechanical vs. Chemical Polyester Recycling 

Recycled polyester (rPET) is currently produced through mechanical recycling or chemical recycling. Each approach comes with benefits and risks. 

Mechanical Recycling 

• Process: polyester bottles or textiles are collected, cleaned, shredded, melted, and spun into new fibers. 

• Advantages: simple, established, and cost-effective. 

• Limitations: 
  • Quality depends heavily on input feedstock. 
  • Contaminants remain — such as dyes, coatings, softeners, PFAS, or heavy metals. 
  • Microplastics are shed during processing. 
  • Fibers degrade over multiple cycles, reducing performance. 
    
    
    

Chemical Recycling 

• Process: polyester is depolymerized into monomers (e.g., BHET, TPA, DMT) using methods like glycolysis, methanolysis, hydrolysis, or enzymatic depolymerization. These monomers are purified and repolymerized into virgin-like polyester. 

• Advantages: 
  • Produces high-quality rPET with properties equivalent to virgin polyester. 
  • Can handle blended, dyed, and contaminated feedstocks. 
  • Supports true closed-loop recycling that can be repeated multiple times. 

• Risks: 
  • Chemical inputs (e.g., methanol, ethylene glycol, sulfuric acid). 
  • Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as methanol, toluene, or DMF. 
  • Catalyst residues and restricted substance contaminants if purification is inadequate. 

Conclusion: While mechanical recycling offers a mature and economical solution for reducing waste, chemical recycling is essential for scalable, safe circularity in polyester textiles. 

Managing Chemical Risks in Polyester Recycling 

For chemical recycling to deliver on its promise, brands and suppliers must manage risks at every stage. 

Common Contaminants in Feedstock 

• Dyes and pigments 

• Coatings, softeners, and plasticizers 

• Restricted substances like PFAS, bisphenols, heavy metals, and phthalates 

Risks from Chemical Inputs 

• Solvents and VOCs: methanol, toluene, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) 

• Catalyst residues from depolymerization/repolymerization 

• Wastewater containing toxic residues 

Why Purification Matters 

Purification steps such as distillation, crystallization, and filtration are essential to remove hazardous chemicals and achieve safe, virgin-quality rPET. Without strict controls, recycling can transfer risks to: 

• Garment workers and recyclers 

• Surrounding communities and ecosystems 

• Consumers wearing recycled textiles 

(Related: read our overview of ethical fashion practices). 

How bluesign Ensures Safe Polyester Recycling 

At bluesign, we help brands and suppliers adopt polyester recycling processes that are both circular and safe. 

Our solutions include: 

• Chemical management assessments: ensuring all chemical inputs are properly managed. 

• Purification system verification: confirming contaminants are effectively removed. 

• Emissions and wastewater monitoring: making sure VOCs are captured and wastewater is treated to strict safety standards. 

• Compliance verification: ensuring rPET meets the bluesign system black limits (BSBL), bluesign system substances list (BSSL), and global regulations like REACH and other industry standards such as AFIRM RSL. 

With nearly 25 years of expertise, a global network of 970+ system partners, and a team of chemists and engineers, bluesign is uniquely positioned to help the industry scale polyester recycling responsibly. 

The Path to Circular Polyester 

The future of polyester recycling depends on scaling chemical recycling with robust chemical management. For brands and suppliers, this means: 

• Integrating recycled polyester feedstocks into product lines. 

• Collaborating with partners to ensure safe and compliant recycling processes. 

• Staying ahead of regulatory requirements with trusted verification. 

By combining circular design strategies with clean chemistry, the textile industry can reduce its reliance on virgin resources while protecting people and the planet. 

Key Takeaways 

• Polyester recycling is critical to the circular economy, but chemical risks must be addressed. 

• Mechanical recycling is helpful but limited; chemical recycling enables true closed-loop systems. 

• Without purification, recycling can perpetuate toxic risks instead of eliminating them. 

• bluesign provides the expertise, verification, and partnerships to ensure safe, compliant, and scalable polyester recycling. 

Discover how bluesign supports brands and suppliers in scaling safe polyester recycling — visit our sustainability solutions page for more. 

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