Circular Textile Days 2026: How can circular ambition meet business reality?

Brands, retailers, policymakers, researchers and innovators will come together in Tilburg to address the realities of circularity during Circular Textile Days 2026.

Circularity is not just a technical challenge. It's a human challenge, an economic challenge, a business challenge, and above all, a challenge no company can solve alone. That's why the textile industry comes together at Circular Textile Days.

On September 30 and October 1, 2026, the sixth edition of Circular Textile Days will take place at the Koepelhal in Tilburg. Under the theme 'from ambition to reality', the event brings together the knowledge, practical solutions and industry connections needed to move circularity from ambition towards implementation.

The previous edition welcomed 1,150 professionals from 31 countries, representing around 650 companies. In 2026, brands and retailers including Primark, Vaude, O'Neill, Daily Paper, Mexx, Wehkamp and Byborre will take part in the program, alongside policymakers, researchers, innovators and solution providers from across the textile value chain.

As European legislation begins to reshape the textile industry, organizations are facing new questions: how do you translate circular ambitions into commercially viable decisions, how do you prepare for legislation that is still evolving, and how do you balance sustainability goals with the realities of sourcing, production and consumer demand?

"'From ambition to reality' is about being open about where we really are today. We have strong ambitions, but the transition comes with trial and error. By sharing what works, what doesn't and what we learn along the way, we can move forward together."

The 2026 program has been curated around exactly those challenges. Brands, retailers, policymakers, researchers and innovators will share not only their ambitions, but also the difficult decisions, setbacks and lessons that come with putting circular strategies into practice.

Sessions such as 'The Value We Create' explore how brands can create value in a market that increasingly encourages consumers to buy less and choose better, while 'The Value We Wear' examines how emotional value can extend the life of textile products. European legislation, circular business models and developments such as the Digital Product Passport bring the focus back to implementation: what is changing, what does it mean for your organization and how can you prepare?

Visitors who want to go beyond the conversation can join interactive workshops that explore these topics in greater depth and translate them into their own organizations. At the same time, the exhibition floor brings together solutions from across the textile value chain, from new materials and recycling technologies to digital solutions, machinery and manufacturing expertise. The conference program raises the questions; the exhibition floor helps answer them.

The 2026 edition also creates more opportunities to find the right people behind those answers. Guided innovation tours and curated matchmaking help visitors connect with relevant expertise and solutions, while the new CTD Café, themed 'the whole truth: truth or dare', takes the conversation into a more informal setting.

Here, industry professionals will talk openly about the realities behind circular ambitions. 'The Best Mistake We Ever Made', for example, deliberately moves away from the usual success story. Instead, the conversation starts with what went wrong, what was learned and what changed as a result.

That openness is an important part of Circular Textile Days 2026. Progress does not only come from hearing what works: understanding what others have tried, where they struggled and what they would do differently can be just as valuable when deciding on a next step.

Hosted in Tilburg, a city with deep roots in the textile industry, Circular Textile Days brings knowledge, practical solutions and the people behind them together in one place. Whether you are preparing for upcoming legislation, exploring new materials and technologies, reconsidering your business model or looking for partners to help take the next step, the aim is the same: to leave better prepared to move from ambition to reality.

Circular Textile Days 2026

September 30 to October 1, 2026 Koepelhal, Tilburg, the Netherlands

More information and tickets are available via the Circular Textile Days website.