#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-03-25

DSM and industry partners launch coalition to close the loop on Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™

Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, today announces that it, along with leading industry partners, has launched a new coalition, known as CirculariTeam®. The coalition aims to drive the transition towards renewable bio- and recycled based resources within its respective industry. CirculariTeam® provides a common platform to share knowledge, resources, and technological solutions, with the goal of closing the loop on Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™.

The cross-industry coalition consists of parties from across the value chain that use DSM’s Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™, in their products. CirculariTeam® aims to drive the transition towards renewable bio- and recycled based resources within its respective industry. This matches DSM’s vision and mission of enabling a circular economy and keeping materials at their highest value for the longest possible time.

CirculariTeam® has identified seven focus areas: reverse logistics, recycle and reuse solutions, improved production efficiency (including waste reduction), separation of waste into material components, design for circularity, regulation, and information sharing. The parties have already begun collaborating on these topics and, by end 2021, CirculariTeam® aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility of making new Dyneema® fiber from post-consumer waste. Throughout the coming years, the coalition will continue to reassess its ambitions and review its progress through regular summits and ongoing communication.

Roeland Polet, Co-Chairman of CirculariTeam® and President DSM Protective Materials: “DSM is dedicated to securing the future availability of natural resources and maximizing the value from the limited resources available. CirculariTeam® will serve as another opportunity to enable this, in line with our existing sustainability targets for DSM Protective Materials. Together with our partners, we can deliver solutions and growth that benefits both business and society at large.”

Wilco Stroet, Senior Vice President Global Maritime Lankhorst Ropes: "We are committed to the aims of the CirculariTeam® coalition in the firm belief that it's our responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. Lankhorst Ropes has long seen sustainability as a key driver for growth and something we embrace wholeheartedly as part of our initiative to encourage circularity wherever possible."

James Kempston, CEO, NP Aerospace: “Dyneema® is a central component to NP Aerospace life-saving armor products and we use significant volumes year on year. We are pleased to be part of the CirculariTeam®. It offers a much-needed forum for cross-industry collaboration on topics such as recycling and renewable materials. We have worked with DSM for over 15 years and it is clear that they are leading the way in manufacturing innovation and green initiatives. We are pleased to be collaborating on this coalition, it will not only enable us to better meet our customers’ growing demands for more sustainable, circular products, but we will be also be able to collectively build a better world for generations to come.”

Industrial scale meets verified governance: RE&UP is now B Corp™ certified

RE&UP, the circular-tech transforming global textile waste into high-volume Next-Gen materials, has officially become a Certified B Corporation™. The milestone establishes the industrial recycler among a select group of manufacturing infrastructure providers verified as meeting B Lab Standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.