Brightfiber Textiles launches world’s first fully circular textile factory in Amsterdam

Making circular fashion possible and scalable

A circular fashion milestone has been reached in Amsterdam with the launch of Brightfiber Textiles—the world’s first textile factory to operate locally and 100% circularly. Located in the city’s Western Port Area, the factory is set to tackle the 300 million kilos of discarded clothing generated annually in the Netherlands, much of which is currently burned or downcycled. 

With an initial capacity to process 2.5 million kilos of textiles annually, the facility already covers Amsterdam’s entire clothing container output and is built for future scaling. Founder Ellen Mensink, known for her earlier work with Loop.a.life, has spent a decade building industry knowledge, all leading up to this moment.

Brightfiber’s factory combines three advanced recycling machines:

• A fiberising machine that reduces garments to fine fibres.
• A smart sorter that automatically separates textiles by colour and material.
• And a cleaner that strips away zippers, labels, and buttons.

This process produces high-quality fibres suitable for immediate use in new yarns and fabrics, a rare achievement in textile recycling, which typically struggles with mixed materials and quality degradation.

Amsterdam’s circular ambitions

The launch comes at a pivotal moment as the Netherlands enforces its UPV Textile Act, requiring manufacturers to take responsibility for end-of-life textiles. Yet, current obligations remain modest, and industry-wide adoption is slow. Mensink believes scaling local, circular solutions is key to breaking fast fashion’s 'take-make-waste cycle' and shifting from the linear economy.

Amsterdam has established itself as a circular fashion and textile innovation leader, investing in urban innovation hubs, recycling pilots, and circular business incentives. The city is now home to initiatives like Brightfiber Textiles, which will work alongside platforms like Fashion for Good, Lena the clothing library, and United Repair Centre. Together, they’re driving new technologies and business models that reshape the fashion industry and promote a more sustainable, circular future.

Read more about the thriving key sectors in Amsterdam