#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-02-17

Polyester-based tricot fabric with elasticity – a new development from KARL MAYER

If, for example, discreet comfort stretch for the clothing sector is required, KARL MAYER’s new fabric offers an ecological alternative.

Elastic yet still recyclable

The textile industry is responsible for huge mountains of waste in Europe: in Germany alone, 390,000 tonnes of textile waste are produced every year. Only Italy tops this figure with almost 466,000 tonnes per year, as shown by a study on waste disposal behaviour in 15 EU countries commissioned by the fashion label Labfresh. According to further study results, every German person produces 4.7 kilograms of textile waste, of which only 0.5 kilograms are recycled and 0.4 kilograms are reused without treatment. The rest is incinerated or dumped. /1/

A key reason contributing to the low recycling rate is the purity of the material. Many clothing textiles consist of fibre or yarn mixtures that cannot be separated for the treatment process or can only be separated with great difficulty. If, for example, discreet comfort stretch for the clothing sector is required, KARL MAYER’s new fabric offers an ecological alternative. The textile is made from yarns of different polyester polymers: a semi-dull version for a soft look and a bicomponent fibre that offers moderate mechanical elasticity with a well-thought-out structure. The elements of the stretchable fibre consist also of different polymers and show different shrinkage behaviour: when heated, a spiral crimp is formed. As the bulky deformation is not mechanically induced – unlike in textured yarns – it produces a more permanent and pronounced elongation in comparison.

The two polyester yarns were processed into a dense fabric on a high-performance HKS 3-M tricot machine in gauge E 32. The fabric weighs 202 g/m². It stands out thanks to its dense, rich feel and a heavy drape. Clothing made from it is comfortable to wear, easy to wash, does not need to be ironed and can be recycled – after removing accessories such as buttons and buckles.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

"We will become a recycling powerhouse"

The textile industry is now in its fourth consecutive year of crisis, while automation, artificial intelligence and recycling are reshaping the rules of the game. In this interview, Rieter CEO Thomas Oetterli discusses the first signs of a market recovery, reflects on his first three years at the helm of the company, explains the integration of Barmag, outlines Rieter’s vision of the fully automated spinning mill and highlights the strategic importance of recycling. In doing so, he explains why the new Rieter Group aims to play a leading role in transforming the textile value chain into a circular economy.

Countdown to Textiles Recycling Expo 2026: Brussels prepares for Europe’s textile recycling gathering

With only two weeks remaining until the start of the second edition of the Textiles Recycling Expo 2026, preparations are entering the final phase. The exhibition and conference, dedicated exclusively to textile recycling and circularity, will take place on 24–25 June 2026 at Brussels Expo and is expected to attract stakeholders from across the textile recycling value chain.

Indorama Ventures enables brands to scale circular textiles through proven, traceable supply chains

Indorama Ventures, a global leader in recycled polyester staple fibers and filament yarns, will exhibit at Textiles Recycling Expo in Brussels on June 24–25. At the event, the company will show how brands and textile manufacturers can build traceable, circular textile supply chains by working with proven partners who deliver recycled materials on an industrial scale.

RECOVER™ launches Recover™ Yarns to accelerate recycled cotton uptake

Recover™, a leading materials science company and one of the world’s largest producers of recycled cotton fiber, today announces the launch of Recover™ Yarns, a curated portfolio of ready-to-use yarn solutions designed to accelerate the adoption of recycled cotton across the apparel supply chain.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

TERNAfil wins first place at PitchMiUp Night 2026 in Minden

The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.