The rapid expansion of the fast fashion industry has led to a dramatic increase in textile waste, posing significant environmental and systemic challenges. Although approximately 95% of discarded clothing is technically recyclable, current recycling system remains inefficient due to fragmented collection, manual sorting, limited recycling capabilities, and a lack of integrated data management. This study investigates the structural limitations of Korea’s waste clothing recycling system and proposes optimization strategies grounded in circular economy principles. These strategies, if implemented, have the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Korea’s textile waste recycling system. Through a comparative analysis of international models― including government-led Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, digital platform-based collection services, and brand-driven recycling initiatives―the study identifies key bottlenecks in Korea’s current system. The findings highlight the need for a unified and monitored collection infrastructure, the deployment of AI-based automated sorting technologies, and the development of fiber-to-fiber (F2F) recycling processes supported by standardized classification codes and centralized databases. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of real-time data integration across all stages of the recycling chain to enable transparent tracking and performance evaluation. Drawing on successful PET bottle recycling cases, the research outlines a roadmap for transitioning Korea’s textile waste management to a scalable, sustainable circular economy. The study concludes by calling for robust institutional support, legal clarity, and most importantly, cross-sector collaboration. This collaboration is crucial to ensure effective implementation of EPR and long-term resource circulation, and it will require the collective efforts of environmental policymakers, waste management professionals, industry stakeholders, and researchers.

1. 서 론
2. 국내외 폐의류 순환자원 활용 현황
    2.1 해외 폐의류 순환자원 활용
    2.2 한국의 폐의류 순환자원 활용
3. 현행 의류 순환자원 시스템의 문제점
    3.1 의류 폐기물 수거 단계의 구조적 문제점
    3.2 의류 폐기물 분류 단계의 한계와 과제
    3.3 재활용 단계의 문제점
    3.4 데이터 관리의 문제점
4. 개선 방안 및 제언
    4.1 수거 단계의 개선
    4.2 분류 단계의 개선
    4.3 재활용 단계의 개선
    4.4 데이터 관리의 개선
    4.5 각 범주별 우선순위와 장애요소 개선방향
5. 결론 및 정책 제언
References

• Kyung Seok Kim(Korea Resource Circulation Service Agency) | 김경석 (한국순환자원유통지원센터)
• Changsoo Ok(Department of Industrial & Data Engineering Hongik University) | 옥창수 (홍익대학교 산업데이터공학과)
• Dong-Kyu Na(Department of Intellectual Property Hongik University) | 나동규 (홍익대학교 지식재산학과) Corresponding author