#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-01-28

Renewcell selects Valmet as main equipment supplier for Sundsvall textile recycling plant

Renewcell has signed a contract with the Finnish industrial machinery manufacturer Valmet as a main supplier for its planned 60,000 metric tonne capacity textile recycling plant at Ortviken industrial site in Sundsvall, Sweden. The contract, worth SEK 232 million, covers 40 percent of the value of the equipment to be installed. The selection marks a major milestone in the establishment of the first commercial scale textile recycling plant of its kind in the world.

“We have gone through a rigorous selection process and are confident that Valmet is the best possible longterm partner to Renewcell on our mission to change the global fashion industry. With a trusted supplier like Valmet providing the core equipment, we reduce project risk and gain a committed partner with industry-leading expertise. We look forward to working closely with Valmet to put together a top-of-the-line textile recycling plant concept that is ready to be rolled out not just at Ortviken but worldwide” comments Patrik Lundström, CEO of Renewcell

Renewcell’s technology has been specifically designed to run on proven equipment in order to ensure scalability and industry-leading OEE. The contract with Valmet covers machine equipment installation, commissioning and ongoing technical support. Valmet will supply process equipment for, stock prep, bleaching and drying commonly used in large scale state-of-the-art dissolving pulp plants throughout the world. A significant share of the equipment to be installed will be delivered locally from Valmet’s Sundsvall branch, located in close proximity to the Ortviken site. Renewcell’s new Ortviken plant is scheduled to begin operations in the first half of 2022.

“This project is an excellent example of how we can utilize Valmet’s wide expertise in bio, pulp and paper technology in textile recycling. In a project like this Valmet is not only a technology provider, but this is a joint journey. During the past year we have worked together to finetune the technology for textile recycling. We have utilized Valmet’s pilot machines at our Swedish and Finnish R&D centers to do test runs in turning recycled textile raw material into dissolving pulp sheets,” explains Rickard Andersson, Vice President for Fiber Processing business unit at Valmet.

“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.

Managed workwear services are providing a blueprint for the circular textile economy

Managed workwear service providers are demonstrating how commercial success and circularity can go hand in hand by extending garment lifespans through repair, laundering, reuse and recycling, according to “Managed workwear services—a circular textile economy ahead of the game”, a new 14‑page report from the global business information company Textiles Intelligence.

Eco-design as the foundation of circular textiles

Based on the results of an extensive European analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is currently developing three practice-based training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. This was preceded by a comprehensive company survey and a joint analysis conducted by the project partners under the leadership of IVGT. The results show that the greatest challenges lie not so much in a lack of technology as in skills gaps.

Usha Yarns secures growth equity investment from Fullerton Carbon Action Fund

Usha Yarns Limited (“Usha Yarns”), a producer of high-quality recycled yarns with advanced, well established production processes, announced a growth equity investment from the Fullerton Carbon Action Fund (“Fullerton”), a private equity strategy managed by Fullerton Fund Management that backs established mid-market companies across Emerging Asia to accelerate decarbonisation.

PERFORMANCE DAYS announces new focus topic & forums for October 2026

With its upcoming October 13–14, 2026 edition, PERFORMANCE DAYS is placing the spotlight on one of the textile industry’s most important transformations: “Bio-Based Materials – From Fiber to Fabric”, a two-part Focus Topic exploring the future of bio-based innovation across the textile value chain. Part 1, presented in October 2026, will focus on fibers and next-generation material developments, while Part 2 at the March 2027 edition will shift the perspective toward dyeing, finishing, additives, and processing technologies.

Febratex 2026 to be the largest edition of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas with 10 exhibition halls

Febratex 2026 will be the largest edition in the history of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas. Dedicated to the textile and apparel manufacturing industries, the event will take place from August 18–21, 2026, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, with a strong focus on technology, sustainability, and business generation.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues field trip brings international stakeholders closer to Brazil’s cotton production chain

How do you build trust across the global textile value chain? By opening the farm gates. This is the principle behind the Cotton Brazil Dialogues. At the end of July, the programme welcomed its first group of international participants for a five-day immersion into Brazilian cotton production, combining field visits with technical workshops to showcase the quality, sustainability, innovation and traceability behind one of the world’s leading cotton origins.