#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-06-10

Two champions of post-consumer textile recycling joining forces

Lenzing, a leading global supplier of wood-based specialty fibers, and Södra, a world-class producer of pulp, signed a cooperation agreement today, June 02, 2021, with the clear objective of making a decisive contribution to addressing the enormous textile waste challenges of the industry and the society.

The cooperation involves the transfer of knowledge between the two companies, which have been proactively driving the circular economy issue for many years, and a joint process development followed by a capacity expansion for pulp from post-consumer waste. The goal is to process 25,000 tons of textile waste per year by 2025.

Together, Lenzing and Södra take a giant leap further towards closing the loop from fiber to fiber in fashion.

The fashion industry is one of the major polluting industries in the world. Millions of tons of textile waste are created each and every year, most of it ends up in landfills. In the spirit of the circular economy transition, both Lenzing and Södra have independently addressed the issue and developed appropriate solution options so far. Both companies are experts in their respective fields with many years of large-scale industrial experience.

Together, they give textile recycling a huge boost by developing technologies further towards a broader, industrial-scale use of post-consumer cellulosic waste. The jointly developed pulp OnceMore® will subsequently also be used as a raw material for the production of Lenzing’s TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ branded specialty fibers.

“The cooperation with Södra is a major milestone towards achieving our ambitious climate and sustainability goals. We are proud to be able to go this way with a competent partner. One company alone cannot solve the pressing issue of textile waste. It is proactive partnerships like this that enable us to move forward and bring about real systemic change”, says Christian Skilich, Member of the Managing Board of Lenzing.

“With OnceMore® pulp, Södra has created a globally unique solution to base textile on a recycled source. By joining forces with Lenzing, we now taking the next step on our journey and will bring world-class recycling to the textile value chain. Through a new investment, we will also ten-fold our production capacity of OnceMore® pulp during 2022 and have a higher level of recycled textile content. These are important steps towards our long-term target to create a circular textile industry”, says Lotta Lyrå, President and CEO of Södra.

“In this turn around decade for our planet, making forest-based fabrics from recycled textiles is critical to protect biodiversity, alleviate pressure on forests and address the growing climate crisis. Canopy is excited to see these two major producers join forces to bring vital Next Generation Solutions to the fashion industry. We look forward to seeing greater commercial volumes come to market”, says Nicole Rycroft, Canopy’s Founder and Executive Director.

Two companies with bold visions and large-scale solutions for the reuse of waste

In line with its circular economy vision, “We give waste a new life. Every day”, Lenzing drives the industry towards a fully-fledged circular economy by striving to give waste a new life in all aspects of its core business and by co-developing circular solutions with potential partners in and outside the current value chain. Lenzing has extensive knowledge in developing cutting-edge innovations in recycling such as its REFIBRA™ and Eco Cycle technologies. Besides virgin dissolving wood pulp, these technologies allow the processing of a substantial proportion of recycled materials based on pre-consumer cottons scraps and post-consumer garments.

OnceMore® by Södra is the world’s first process for industrial-scale recycling of textile waste of blended fibers, and it’s the forest who makes that possible. The process combines wood cellulose with textile waste to create a pure, high-quality dissolving pulp which can be used to produce new clothing and other textile products. During 2022, a new investment will ten-fold the production capacity of OnceMore® pulp and reach a higher level of recycled textile content. The goal for 2025 is to process 25,000 tons of textile and offer a OnceMore® pulp based on our wood material and 50 percent recycled textile material.

Lenzing AG to become majority owner of TreeToTextile AB and accelerates industrialization of new fibers

The Lenzing Group is taking another strategic milestone by acquiring a controlling majority in the Swedish innovation company TreeToTextile AB. This step strengthens Lenzing’s position as a leading provider of sustainable, wood‑based specialty fibers and expands its innovation pipeline with a highly scalable, patent‑protected technology platform. The transaction is executed through the issuance of new shares.

Fourth CDP Triple “A” Rating reinforces Lenzing’s leadership in sustainability

Lenzing AG has once again been recognized by the global nonprofit organization CDP for its transparent reporting performance in the areas of climate change, forests, and water security. This places Lenzing among only 23 companies worldwide that made it on the “Corporate A List” across all three categories in 2025 – out of more than 22,000 companies that disclosed their environmental data. For Lenzing, this marks the fourth time the company has achieved this prestigious triple‑“A” rating.

Lenzing AG announces new leadership and establishment of Executive Committee

Lenzing AG announced that Rohit Aggarwal, Managing Board Member and Chief Executive Officer of Lenzing AG, has informed the Supervisory Board of his decision to resign from his position due to personal reasons, effective 31 January 2026. To support a smooth transition, Mr. Aggarwal will remain with Lenzing AG as an advisor to the company until end of September 2026. The Supervisory Board expresses its appreciation for Mr. Aggarwal’s leadership and contributions during his tenure.

Lenzing invests EUR 15 mn to strengthen position in the hygiene market

The Lenzing AG is investing approximately EUR 15 mn to expand its production capacity for premium viscose fibers at its site in Lenzing, Austria. This strategic investment is part of the recently announced investment program of EUR 100 mn in total to secure the long-term competitiveness of Lenzing’s Austrian production sites. The capacity expansion reinforces the company’s commitment to providing sustainable solutions to the global hygiene market. It also strengthens the company's role as a trusted provider of high-quality fibers for feminine care applications.

Reju announces site selection for first U.S. industrial sized facility regeneration hub in Rochester, New York

Reju, the textile-to-textile regeneration company, today announced it has selected the site for its first U.S.-based industrial facility marking a significant milestone in its efforts to scale globally. This future Regeneration Hub will be in Rochester, New York, reinforcing Reju’s commitment to the adoption of circular textile system across key regions worldwide.

Canopy introduces a first-of-its-kind $2 billion USD investment blueprint to decarbonize global materials supply chains

Today, the global, solutions-driven not-for-profit Canopy joined partners at Davos to introduce a new finance model designed to accelerate the growth of low-carbon materials and transform the paper, packaging, and textile supply chains. The event was anchored by a keynote speech from Sri A Revanth Reddy, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Telangana, with India set to host the first iteration of the new investment blueprint.

“Action helps us change what we do!”

DAY 0 takes place deliberately before PERFORMANCE DAYS begins. It is conceived as a space for reflection, dialogue and active engagement — a moment to pause before the fair, rethink established systems and address sustainability not as a trend, but as a fundamental transformation challenge. Under the guiding metaphor “Turn the Tap Off”, DAY 0 focuses on root causes rather than symptoms, systemic change rather than isolated solutions, and collective responsibility rather than individual silos.

Pets in fashion: functional and sustainable textiles find new market at Intertextile Apparel

China’s pet economy is booming, especially amongst younger generations, and pet apparel – from designer outfits to functional garments – was a RMB 3.5 billion (over USD 500 million) market in 2024, growing more than 20% annually¹. To help exhibitors harness this trend, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition 2026 will launch the Pet Boutique, presenting a range of innovative, sustainable materials that prioritise both functionality and comfort for pets.

VAUDE eliminates PFAS from all products

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are now detectable worldwide – in drinking water, soil and the human body. These so-called “forever chemicals” are considered hazardous to health and potentially carcinogenic, as they do not break down and remain in the environment permanently. Despite these risks, PFAS are still used in a wide range of products. More than 15 years ago, VAUDE made a strategic decision to gradually eliminate PFAS from all product categories.