#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-08-19

Wired features Infinited Fiber on its hottest startups list

Global tech publication Wired has included Infinited Fiber Company in its lineup of this year’s 100 Hottest Startups in Europe. The list celebrates the startup scene across Europe, highlighting the success, innovation and investment happening throughout the continent.

Finland was one of the few European countries to have seen growth in the amount of capital poured into tech startups in 2020. Finnish gaming company Supercell CEO and co-founder, Ilkka Paananen, believes that Finland is “the best place in the world” to found a startup, thanks in part to the high quality of living, which is increasingly appealing to international talent.

Infinited Fiber Company is thrilled to be included in the Hottest Startups in Helsinki list, along with many other innovative companies that span a wide range of sectors, including IQM, developers of quantum computing hardware, Gubbe, who organise elderly care by connecting the families of the elderly with students, Flowrite, a language generation browser extension, and sustainable packaging company Sulapac. A key commonality in Finland’s list is the focus on sustainability.

“We’re delighted and grateful to be included in Wired’s list of the hottest startups in Europe. We want to bring joy and hope back into fashion by helping to make circularity an everyday reality in the textile industry. Wired is a globally renowned publication, and this recognition provides a great platform to increase awareness for Infinited Fiber Company’s technology for regenerating high-quality textile fibers from textile waste,” said Petri Alava, Infinited Fiber Company co-founder and CEO.

Infinited Fiber Company features on the list as a result of its unique recycling technology and the resulting regenerated textile fiber, Infinna™, which enables circularity in textiles. Wired also cites Infinited Fiber's aim to renew excitement in fashion for environmentally-conscious customers, which has garnered investment from leading global fashion brands such as H&M Group, adidas, BESTSELLER and Patagonia.

Infinited Fiber Company hopes its inclusion on the list will lead to more people recognizing the importance of shifting towards a circular economy and the innovation happening to make textile circularity an everyday reality.

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

RE&UP contributes to Global Fashion Summit 2026 circularity discussion

RE&UP contributed to the global conversation on textile circularity at Global Fashion Summit 2026 in Copenhagen, where Fatih Konukoğlu, Chairman of RE&UP and Vice Chairman of Sanko Holding, took part in both the keynote session “The New Rules” and the panel discussion “A Reckoning and Renewal for Circular Horizons”, alongside leaders from H&M Group, Looper Textile Co. and Sourcing Journal.

Europe’s textile future at a turning point: New 2030 Circularity Blueprint aims to scale recycling and unlock investment opportunities

The EU textile system is at a critical crossroads. Today, less than 1% of discarded garments are recycled into new garments, despite EU-wide obligations for separate collection. In response, Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) is launching the 2030 Circularity Blueprint, in partnership with ReHubs. This ambitious initiative is designed to support the transformation of the EU textile ecosystem to advance textile-to-textile recycling and drive the transition to a circular economy.

Circulose and CTA announce collaboration to enable lyocell fibers using CIRCULOSE® pulp

Circulose has announced an agreement with China Textile Academy Green Fibre (CTA) to offer lyocell fibers produced using CIRCULOSE® pulp. Producing lyocell from recycled pulp at commercial scale is an important step in making textile-to-textile recycled materials available across a wider range of textile applications.

STFI highlights textile circular economy and alternative fibres at INDEX™ 2026

From 19 to 22 May 2026, INDEX will invite visitors to Lake Geneva for the world's leading nonwovens trade fair. The Centre of Excellence in Nonwovens at the Sächsisches Textilforschung- sinstitut e.V. (STFI) will be in attendance to present the latest developments in nonwovens research. In the field of the textile circular economy, the STFI will present acoustically effective nonwovens made from chemical recycling residues. The range also includes innovations aimed at replacing conventional raw materials, such as the biobased and biodegradable polymer polybutylene succinate (PBS) and Kendyr as an alternative to cotton.

FET’s revolutionary gel spinning system wins Techtextil Innovation Award

FET has received the prestigious Techtextil Innovation Award 2026 in the New Production Technology category. The Techtextil Innovation Award honours outstanding ideas in textile technology, sustainability, AI and the creation of technical textiles, selected by an international jury of experts. Ranging from new materials to new production technologies, this award recognises progressive ideas that are driving forces for numerous industries, such as automotive, medical and construction.