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Textile Recovery Summit 2025 Session Line-Up

The Plastics Recycling Conference session line-up is available here.

Sessions specific to the Plastics Recycling Conference and the Textile Recovery Summit will take place on Monday, March 24, and Tuesday, March 25. On Wednesday, March 26, sessions will merge and cover topics relevant to both events.

Meals and receptions will be shared by attendees from both the Plastics Recycling Conference and the Textile Recovery Summit, providing opportunities for networking across both events.

MONDAY, MARCH 24

  • Pick up your attendee badge and conference materials.

  • Enjoy a plated networking lunch to keep your energy up through the afternoon.

  • Space is limited. This workshop is also offered 3:30pm - 5:00pm.

    FACILITATOR: Sarah Coulter, Accelerating Circularity

    This session will cover:

    • Findings from pilot programs for recycling polyester and cotton in the U.S. and in Europe to develop new processes, relationships and business models.

    • Where post-use polyester textiles are going and how they are being recycled.

    • Challenges identifying the wide variety of textile materials and tracking their end destinations.

    • The realities—both successes and barriers—of current textile recycling efforts.

  • Space is limited. This workshop is also offered 3:30pm - 5:00pm.

    FACILITATORS:

    • Constanza Gomez, Sortile Devices

    • Brian London, SMART

    • Representative from Goodwill

    This session will cover:

    • Hands-on experience in sorting bales containing a variety of textiles for reuse and recycling to put into focus the challenges facing the industry.

    • The importance of sorting textiles accurately to help achieve circularity, including textile-to-textile recycling.

    • How Sortile devices use NIR technology and AI to identify material composition to help improve sorting efficiency.

    • Matoha FabriTell identification devices and their role in enabling circularity for natural, man-made and blended fibers of all textures and colors, including polypropylene.

  • Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) will be stopping by to provide an update on federal efforts to promote sustainable fashion and textile waste and circularity through the Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus.

  • Space is limited. This workshop is also offered 1:30pm - 3:00pm.

    FACILITATOR: Sarah Coulter, Accelerating Circularity

    This session will cover:

    • Findings from pilot programs for recycling polyester and cotton in the U.S. and in Europe to develop new processes, relationships and business models.

    • Where post-use polyester textiles are going and how they are being recycled.

    • Challenges identifying the wide variety of textile materials and tracking their end destinations.

    • The realities—both successes and barriers—of current textile recycling efforts.

  • Space is limited. This workshop is also offered 1:30pm - 3:00pm.

    FACILITATORS:

    • Constanza Gomez, Sortile Devices

    • Brian London, SMART

    • Representative from Goodwill

    This session will cover:

    • Hands-on experience in sorting bales containing a variety of textiles for reuse and recycling to put into focus the challenges facing the industry.

    • The importance of sorting textiles accurately to help achieve circularity, including textile-to-textile recycling.

    • How Sortile devices use NIR technology and AI to identify material composition to help improve sorting efficiency.

    • Matoha FabriTell identification devices and their role in enabling circularity for natural, man-made and blended fibers of all textures and colors, including polypropylene.

  • Enjoy a short break between sessions.

  • Gather with your peers in our exhibit hall for our networking reception.

TUESDAY, MARCH 25

  • Pick up your attendee badge and conference materials.

  • Coffee, tea and breakfast provided to power attendees through the day’s schedule.

  • Peruse the booths in our Exhibit Hall and make connections with your plastics recycling and textile recovery peers.

  • JUDGES:

    • Matt Allen, Reju

    • Aly Bryan, Closed Loop Partners

    • TBD

    MODERATOR: Maite Quinn, Resource Recycling

    The Innovation Stage will feature:

    • Cutting-edge innovations that are shaping circularity in the textile recycling space.

    • Start-ups and companies that are pushing boundaries in textile fiber recovery and recycling.

    • Judges providing insights into scalable solutions.

    • An audience vote to announce the winner at the end of the day!

  • Enjoy a short break between sessions.

  • SPEAKERS:

    • Silvia Gregorini, PICVISA

    • Moe Hachem, Sneaker Impact

    • Helio Moreira, Textile House

    This session will cover:

    • Cutting-edge sorting technology supports textile recycling for end-of-life clothing and shoes.

    • Industry partnerships and collaborations that span the textile recovery value chain.

    • Case studies of successful collaborations between textile brands, recyclers and technology providers.

    • Innovations that are helping to enable efficient sorting processes and resource recovery for textiles.

  • Enjoy a short break between sessions.

  • SPEAKERS:

    • Matt Allen, Reju

    • Jennifer Lake, President and CEO, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes

    • Raymond Randall, WM

    MODERATOR: Beth Forsberg, SVP, Sustainability, Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona

    This session will cover:

    • Strategic partnerships can help drive scalable impact in textile recycling.

    • Real-world examples of initiatives that have successfully bridged the gap between supply and demand.

    • The role of collaboration in overcoming inefficiencies in textile recycling markets.

    • Innovative solutions to boost the adoption of circular systems.

  • Enjoy a plated networking lunch to keep your energy up through the afternoon.

  • SPEAKERS:

    • Constanza Gomez, Co-Founder & CEO, Sortile

    • Jennifer Wang, UNCTAD

    MODERATOR: Brian London, SMART

    This session will cover:

    • The global trade flow of secondhand clothing, with a special emphasis on reusing items in good condition.

    • The vital roles of exporters and processors in keeping textiles out of landfills.

    • Challenges faced by key textile export markets such as Kenya and Chile, and how North American textiles can address those challenges.

    • Opportunities for innovation in used textile sorting and recovery processes.

  • Enjoy a short break before the day’s final session and reception.

  • SPEAKERS:

    • Joanne Brasch, California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC)

    • Jessica Franken, SMART

    • Representative from EPA/NIST

    • Representative from RLG

    MODERATOR: Marisa Adler, RRS

    This session will cover:

    • Legislative efforts to advance textile circularity.

    • The role of state and federal policy in shaping industry practices.

    • The implications of GAO recommendations to Congress.

    • The importance of public-private collaboration in driving systemic change.

  • Enjoy a short break before the day’s final session and reception.

  • TBD

  • Gather with your peers in our exhibit hall for our networking reception.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

  • Pick up your attendee badge and conference materials.

  • Peruse the booths in our Exhibit Hall and make connections with your plastics recycling and textile recovery peers.

  • Coffee, tea and breakfast provided to power attendees through the day’s schedule.

  • This session will cover:

    • How top players and investors can provide capital and support to accelerate industry growth and develop and scale new technologies and business models while balancing risks and impact.

    • How corporations are integrating circular economy principles into their business models, from recycling to designing for longevity.

    • Key investment trends in areas like circular supply chains, waste-to-value technologies and closed-loop systems.

    • How investors support the scaling of startups and emerging technologies while balancing risks and impact.

    • Aligning financial goals with sustainability goals and measuring success through detailed impact metrics.

    • Collaborating and forming cross-sector partnerships with governments, NGOs and startups to bring recycling solutions to scale.

    • Managing risk by navigating policy requirements and changes and supply chain disruptions while advocating for regulatory frameworks to support circular economy investments.

  • This session will cover:

    • Women leading organizations, setting strategies and driving circular initiatives in recycling, waste management and sustainable design.

    • How women are pioneering new approaches to recycling, sustainable packaging and product life extension in the circular economy.

    • Addressing barriers like gender biases and lack of representation, and how women have overcome these challenges to succeed in the sustainability space.

    • How gender diversity in leadership leads to better decision-making, innovation and stronger industry partnerships.

    • Strategies for mentorship, education and creating opportunities for young women to enter and thrive in sustainability, recycling and circular economy roles.

  • Enjoy a short break between sessions.

  • This session will cover:

    • Challenges in hard-to-recycle plastics, and the limitations of mechanical recycling for certain plastic types.

    • Identifying new technologies and processes to recycle post-consumer and post-industrial textiles, with a focus on scalability and circularity.

    • Understanding which plastics and textiles are not suitable for traditional recycling methods.

    • How emerging technology including depolymerization and pyrolysis can play a pivotal role in treating hard-to-recycle materials.

    • The importance of cross-sector partnerships, research and policy innovation to accelerate progress in recycling technologies and establish a circular economy for plastics and textiles.

  • “Sessions and presentations were very informative and had a lot of info I can take back and apply immediately.”

    David Porter, Campbell Soup Company

    REGISTER TODAY

  • “The Plastics Recycling Conference is the must-attend event every year. With topics ranging from the latest innovations to legislation and policy, it is the only conference focused exclusively on issues facing the plastics recycling industry.”

    Kara Pochiro, Association of Plastic Recyclers

    REGISTER TODAY

  • “I benefited from the mix of panels and exhibit hall. Good blend of learning and networking.”

    Louise Sullivan, Avery Dennison

    REGISTER TODAY

  • “The Plastics Recycling Conference is the highlight of our marketing efforts each year. We choose this show with confidence that our investment consistently generates sales and purchasing leads.”

    Stephanie Baker, KW Plastics

    REGISTER TODAY

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