#Recycling / Circular Economy

2020-06-13

H&M Group supports the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to accelerate circular economy to build back better

H&M Group, together with other leading companies, policymakers, philanthropists, academics and other influential individuals, fully supports the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s latest initiative to accelerate the transition to a circular economy as we adapt to the new normal.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation today calls on businesses and governments to join the journey towards a circular economy. H&M Group is one of the signatories of the Foundation’s latest initiative, in which a circular economy is defined as a solution as to ‘how’ we can build back better as we rise to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation encourages us to build on this momentum. It is by applying circular economy solutions for plastics, fashion, food, as well as other industries, that we will build a better future, create vital opportunities for economic growth that also restore the environment, create jobs, and benefit society.

Today CEOs of some of the world’s most influential companies, policymakers, philanthropists, academics, and other influential individuals have reaffirmed their commitment to building a circular economy. Together we can build an economy that is distributed, diverse, and inclusive, rather than extractive, polluting, and exploitative.”

Dame Ellen MacArthur

“We must take the responsibility of our future together. Companies and governments have to collaborate, be transparent and show leadership in their transition to a circular economy. Taking steps back in what already has been achieved is not an option. We are committed to take our part, and to follow our vision of becoming circular and climate positive”, says Helena Helmersson, CEO H&M Group.

Being fully circular to the H&M group means to have a different approach to how fashion should be designed, produced and used. Fashion should never be seen as waste, but instead, should be treated as a valuable resource by reusing and recycling again and again. H&M Group’s ambition to become fully circular includes, among others, offering its customers garment collecting options to give a second life to already used garments, and using more and more recycled fibers for its products, such as recycled polyester from old plastic bottles or recycled cotton from used garments.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

20 Start-Ups selected for CEMATEX Start-Up Grant at ITMA 2027

CEMATEX has selected 20 emerging start-ups from nine countries to receive the CEMATEX Start-Up Grant and showcase their innovations at Start-Up Valley during ITMA 2027 in Hanover. Their participation will be fully funded by CEMATEX, giving promising early-stage companies access to the world’s leading textile and garment technology platform.

Moving Advanced Recycling from Innovation to Implementation

The Advanced Recycling Conference 2026 explores technologies, markets, financing and scale-up of innovative recycling solutions for waste streams including mixed plastic waste, textiles and PVC. Europe’s chemical and materials sector faces growing pressure to close carbon loops, strengthen raw-material safety and resilience and meet increasingly ambitious EU recycling targets. Against this backdrop, the Advanced Recycling Conference (ARC) will bring together industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, innovators and policy-makers on 17–18 November 2026 in Cologne, Germany.

VDMA Textile Machinery with new Executive Board

At the general meeting of VDMA Textile Machinery held in Hanover at the end of September, Dr Janpeter Horn, Managing Director of A. Herzog Maschinenfabrik, was re-elected as Chairman of the trade association. Regina Brückner, managing partner of Brückner Trockentechnik, and Verena Thies, managing partner of Thies Textilmaschinen, will once again serve as vice-chairs for the next four years.

Rieter appoints Daniel Lippuner as new CEO as Thomas Oetterli steps down

Thomas Oetterli has decided to step down from his function as CEO, effective October 31, 2026, and hand over the Chairmanship of the Board of Directors. “After the successful implementation of the Next Level performance program, the structural measures initiated to consolidate the sites and the acquisition of Barmag, the time has come to hand over responsibility to new hands,” explains Thomas Oetterli.

Kraig Labs ships first commercial spider silk yarn

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“the Company”, “Kraig Labs”, or “Kraig’s”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced the shipment of its first commercial order of recombinant spider silk yarn. The custom-engineered yarn was produced to fulfill a purchase commitment from a globally recognized performance sports brand and is slated for development into a first-of-its-kind performance textile.