Processes for recovering dialkyl terephthalates. The processes can include exposing a polyester composition to one or more glycols to depolymerization conditions thereby providing one or more depolymerization products. The one or more depolymerization products can be exposed to an alcoholysis process to recover dialkyl terephthalate. Optionally, the one or more glycols can be recycled and re-used in a subsequent dialkyl terephthalate recovery or other process.