This work aimed to review the recent scientific research, focused on the application of recycled fibers, taken from textile waste, in the field of composite materials to fulfill the eco-sustainability requirements of textile manufacturing, and promote actions for a circular economy. The yarns and fabric production represent one of the most polluting processes of the industrial world. The harmful environmental impact of the textile process has been described by reporting the different treatments involving the raw material and the filament fabrication, and concerning the uses of insecticides, fertilizers, and many other chemicals for improving the quality of the final products. In addition, solid textile waste constituted a further additional issue for the environmental sustainability of fabric production. Various strategies have been discussed and in part already adopted by many companies to recover waste fibers and prevent them from ending up in landfills. The alternatives of fiber recycling for composite realization have been presented by reporting several recent studies involving the uses of recycled fibers from the textile waste embedded in different matrices: thermoplastic polymer, thermosetting resins, natural constituents, and concrete in light of specific applications.
Keywords: composites; environmental impact; recycling; textile productive process.