Driving the Future of Textile Recycling: An Interview with Rikke Bech, CEO & Founder of NewRetex

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your company?

My name is Rikke Bech, and I’m the CEO and founder of NewRetex. I have more than 20 years of experience in the textile industry, having worked with production, sourcing, and sustainability. In 2021, we founded NewRetex with a mission to ensure that textile waste becomes a valuable resource through precise sorting.

We’ve developed and established a fully automated sorting facility in Denmark, which sorts 20% of Denmark’s textile waste by quality and color, making it ready for recycling into new products. We work closely with partners across the entire value chain – from municipalities and the waste sector to textile producers and fashion brands – to drive real change.

Today, NewRetex offers its sorting technology and data collection system to the rest of Europe.

What are the main challenges you’ve encountered in textile recycling, and how have you tackled them?

There are several challenges – mostly market-related, as the textile industry requires a fundamental transformation. A major issue is the lack of data and transparency across the sector. Another significant challenge is the lack of knowledge among many textile brands, who often don’t fully understand their own products or value chains.

Furthermore, many are waiting for legislative frameworks that will drive the necessary shift toward greater recycling of critical resources. This means we’ve spent a lot of time building partnerships to make things happen. The technical development has actually been the easiest part – and also a crucial one.

Sorting must be highly precise for waste to be reused as new fibers, and we’ve addressed this by developing advanced technology that automatically analyzes and sorts textiles.

How has the implementation of advanced technology transformed textile waste sorting?

Technology is absolutely key. In the past, textile sorting was largely manual and often imprecise. With our system, we can now sort into up to 30 different fractions based on material, color, and structure – which makes it possible to forward the material for true recycling.

The technology makes the process scalable and traceable, which gives our partners confidence that the waste is actually being put to good use.

What role do events like the Textiles Recycling Expo play in driving change and fostering collaboration across the industry?

They play a huge role. These are the places where we meet across sectors and begin to understand each other’s needs and opportunities. There is a great need for shared understanding – and shared solutions.

At expos like this, we can exchange knowledge, showcase innovations, and form alliances that help accelerate the transition. We simply can’t afford to work in silos anymore.

Why should professionals, innovators, and companies take part in the Textiles Recycling Expo, and what opportunities might they gain by being part of it?

Because the future of the textile industry is circular – and it starts here. By attending, you gain insights into what’s happening, access to the latest technologies, and the opportunity to find partners for new business models.

It’s no longer a question of whether we should recycle textiles – it’s already happening. And we’ll find the answers together, through partnerships.