Debrand has released its first-ever 2025 Transparency Report, introducing a new level of visibility into textile circularity and next-life logistics.
Moving beyond conventional reporting metrics, the report provides detailed insights into how textiles are actually diverted across reuse, recycling, upcycling, and responsible disposal channels. It also highlights the operational challenges, trade-offs, and infrastructure gaps that continue to shape the industry.
Amelia Eleiter emphasized the importance of transparency in driving progress.
“In an industry as oversimplified and misunderstood as fashion, we believe real progress starts with clarity. If we can’t see what’s happening behind the scenes, and be honest about what’s working and what isn’t, we can’t meaningfully move forward. This report is our commitment to opening that black box.”
In FY2025, Debrand processed over 2.4 million pounds of textiles, including apparel, accessories, and packaging materials, distributing them across multiple recovery pathways aligned with the waste hierarchy.
A significant portion—over 1.7 million pounds—was directed toward recycling, primarily for fibre reclamation. Reuse channels accounted for over 347,000 pounds, extending product life through resale and donation. Meanwhile, emerging textile-to-textile recycling initiatives handled smaller volumes, reflecting early-stage scalability challenges.
Upcycling and specialized remanufacturing streams contributed to extending material life, while a notable share of materials was still directed toward waste-to-energy solutions, underscoring existing infrastructure limitations.
The report challenges traditional approaches to sustainability reporting by breaking down diversion data into specific end-use channels, offering a more accurate picture of material flows and industry gaps.
It also highlights that recycling alone is insufficient to achieve true circularity. High-value reuse remains underutilized, advanced recycling technologies are still evolving, and certain textile categories lack viable end-of-life solutions.
Collaboration plays a central role in Debrand’s strategy. The company works with partners such as lululemon and Samsara Eco to develop scalable solutions through resale programs, recycling trials, and innovation initiatives.
“The intent of this report is not perfection, it’s progress. We hope it serves as a starting point for more open dialogue across the industry. The more visibility we create together, the faster we can identify solutions and scale what works.”
Debrand plans to update the report annually, aiming to enhance traceability, improve data accuracy, and expand visibility into textile lifecycle pathways as technologies and infrastructure evolve.
