TE report shows virgin fossil-based polyester production jumped 7% in a year
The global production of virgin fossil-based polyester across all end uses increased from 68 million tonnes in 2024 to 73 million tonnes in 2025, a 7% increase year-on-year, according to the latest report from non-profit the Textile Exchange.
The Materials Market Report covers global production volumes across automotive textiles, construction materials, medical products and filtration systems, as well as the fashion, textile and apparel industry.
However, the 384 fashion brands that report into its Materials Benchmark collectively decreased their use of new virgin fossil-based polyester from 0.54 million tonnes in 2024 to 0.48 million tonnes in 2025.
Participants significantly increased the share of their polyester that comes from recycled sources, from 67% in 2024 to 76% in 2025. In contrast, the share of recycled polyester in global polyester fibre production remained unchanged at 12% from 2024 to 2025.
However, more work is needed to increase the proportion of recycled polyester that comes from textiles, said TE. An estimated 1.5% of recycled polyester used by Materials Benchmark participants came from textile sources, equivalent to 1.1% of all polyester used by the group. This compares to 3% of global recycled polyester production coming from textile sources in 2025, equivalent to 0.3% of total global polyester production. Most recycled polyester was from plastic bottles and other non-textile sources.
The report shows that global fibre production reached a record-breaking 139 million tonnes in 2025, an increase of 7 million tonnes in just 12 months. This increase was driven by the increase in new virgin fossil-based fiber production, from 81 million tonnes in 2024 to 86 million tonnes in 2025.
Companies that participated in the Materials Benchmark increased their use of cotton, polyester, polyamide (nylon), viscose and wool sourced through standards, certifications and other programmes that verify practices for preferred ways of production from 68% in 2024 to 72% in 2025.
Beth Jensen, chief impact officer at Textile Exchange, said: “Our latest annual data offers evidence of the progress that can be made when companies are committed, engaged and willing to work together to accelerate the transition to preferred production systems.
"From an increase in the proportion of materials from sustainability programmes used, to reduced reliance on virgin fossil-based inputs, those who are part of the Textile Exchange community are demonstrating their leadership, outpacing the trends seen across the global production volume data.”
