Toward Circular Textile Waste Management in Macaronesia: A Comparative Policy and Infrastructure Analysis

Abstract

The increasing volume of textile waste in Europe presents a critical environmental and economic challenge, particularly in isolated regions such as the Canary Islands and the broader Macaronesian region. This study presents a comprehensive review of textile waste generation, legislation, and management strategies across Europe, with a special focus on the isolated territory comprising Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, and Cape Verde. An assessment of the specificities of this region, its low market volume and relatively lower technological development compared to continental Europe, the difficulties in logistics, together with its high biodiversity and fragile territory, makes it necessary to undertake specific actions adapted to the territory. The comparative analysis performed allows the determination of a number of challenges and opportunities for textile circularity in the Macaronesian region, which should target a decentralized infrastructure, improve data systems, and produce or adapt targeted policy measures to advance toward textile waste valorization in insular and isolated environments.