#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-11-18

H&M Group launches circular design tool “Circulator”

H&M Group is on a journey to become circular and climate positive. With the launch of an innovative circular design tool “Circulator”, H&M Group underlines its ambition to have all its products designed for circularity by 2025. The tool not only aims to enable H&M Group’s own teams to create products fit for a circular economy but will in the long-term invite others to do the same.

By 2025, H&M Group aims to have 100% of its brands’ products designed for circularity – from the drawing board all the way through the multiple loops of a circular ecosystem. The Circulator shall raise awareness and reduce the complexity and subjectivity of circular design decisions. It has been developed with guidance of a broad range of internal and external experts, such as Global Change Award winner circular.fashion, and will support the realisation of Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s vision of a circular fashion industry. By making the tool available to others in the coming years, H&M Group wants to equally share and gather knowledge and learnings with others, to jointly support the industry’s transition towards a circular economy.

We contributed to the development of the Circulator with our experience of circular design and recycling projects, as well as insights from our developed tools and frameworks such as our Circular Design Criteria and Scoring and we are excited about this exchange, amplifying each other’s expertise, experiences and tools to arrive at common industry consensus on product circularity, actionable solutions and leverage collaborative impact.

Jonna Haeggblom, Circular Design Strategy Lead at circular.fashion

We need to transform how we design and produce our products in order to meet our ambitious circular and climate goals. We also recognize the need to accelerate industry transformation and the Circulator tool will support both. Collaboration is the only way forward and we want to show leadership in the transition towards circular fashion.

Helena Helmersson, CEO H&M Group

The Circulator consists of two parts: a downloadable guide and a digital scoring tool. With the first launch of the downloadable guide in autumn 2021, H&M Group wants to invite everyone to co-create and learn together. The feedback and practical learnings from this first launch phase of the tool will contribute to the development of the scoring tool, which will be launched in the coming years and piloted with industry partners. With PVH Corp. and ASOS we already have strong partners on our side that share our ambitions to drive change in this space through industry collaboration.

To enable a real industry change, we need to collaborate and jointly work on innovative solutions. We feel the sense of urgency, which our industry as a whole is facing, and we want to learn together to fast track the industry’s transition to a circular economy. We value progress over perfection – we know we don’t have all the answers, but we will learn on the way and it’s time to turn words into action.

Sarah Hayes, Business Expert for Circularity at H&M Group

Offering customers easy and assessable ways to prolong the lifecycle of their clothes has been on H&M Group’s agenda for a while but circular thinking starts way before that. All our brands have their own in-house design teams who share the mission to create new inspiring designs and products that allow our customers to enjoy fashion in a more sustainable way. Making conscious choices is part of every decision making along the design process of a garment, focusing on three main impact areas: environmental impact, durability and recyclability. A process that is now simplified and supported by this innovative digital tool.

We see our teams experiencing a real a-ha moment when they use this tool. Being part of the industry, we’re all increasingly aware of its negative impact on the environment and the challenges our planet is facing. Being able to take practical steps to change how products are made and used and contributing to our climate goals is really empowering.

Sarah Hayes, Business Expert for Circularity at H&M Group

By the end of 2021, H&M will launch a complete collection of clothes which have been designed with the help of the tool.

textile.4U publishes special edition “Top 100 Textile Recycling Companies 2025”

With a comprehensive 176-page special edition, textile.4U is dedicating its latest issue entirely to one of the most dynamic and influential topics in today’s textile industry: textile recycling. The new issue, published exclusively in high-quality print, presents the Top 100 textile recycling companies researched and selected by TexData – organizations that already play a key role in the transition to circular textiles or are expected to have a significant impact in the near future.

Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 signed by Governor

Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) is proud to announce that Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, has been signed into law by the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. This groundbreaking legislation establishes the country’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) textile recycling program, marking a significant step forward in the state’s efforts to combat waste and promote sustainability.

Modtissimo promotes sustainability with 28 coordinates in the Green Circle

Modtissimo is proving more and more to be a textile and clothing show that delivers the latest innovations in the area of sustainability, with the iTechStyle Green Circle being the main showcase for companies' creations. In this 60+4 edition, taking place on 12 and 13 September, 28 coordinates will be exhibited in a section organised by CITEVE and curated by Paulo Gomes.

The EU and Egypt team up to mobilise private sector investments at Investment Conference and sign a Memorandum of Understanding underpinning €1 billion in macro-financial assistance for Egypt

At the EU-Egypt Investment Conference, co-organised by the EU and the Government of Egypt on 29-30 June, the EU and Egypt are teaming up to intensify private sector investments in Egypt. They are also signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the disbursement to Egypt of up to €1 billion in Macro-Financial Assistance.

Innovation center for textile circular economy inaugurated

Just over eight months after the foundation stone was laid, the new Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy was officially inaugurated today at TITK Rudolstadt. Thuringia's Minister President Mario Voigt, TITK Director Benjamin Redlingshöfer, and other guests of honor cut the ribbon to the modern building complex and viewed the premises, which are now ready for occupancy. The “DICE – Demonstration and Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy” is TITK's largest single investment to date. The Free State of Thuringia supported the total cost of €11.5 million with €8 million in GRW and FTI funding.

Waste2Fashion: FTTH Committed to advancing Circular Fashion in the Mediterranean

As an official partner of the Waste2Fashion project, the Tunisian Federation of Textile and Apparel (FTTH) participated in the Kick-off Meeting held on 10–11 December in Spain. The event brought together project partners from across the Mediterranean, including Spain, Italy, Egypt, Lebanon, and Tunisia, to align on a shared vision and initiate the first implementation steps.

Sustainable design of Geosynthetics and roof underlayments made from recyclates

Is it possible to recover plastic recyclates from previously unused waste streams in order to produce high-quality fibers and films? How can bio-based polymer fibers be manufactured so as to allow adjustable biodegradability? These are the questions being addressed by researchers from the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE in the Zirk-Tex project.

AATCC announces 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition winners

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) recognized the winners of the 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition. Founded in 1982 to give student members the chance to conduct and present original research, the competition was renamed in 1994 in honor of Herman and Myrtle Goldstein, following their US$60,000 endowment. Their gift is a lasting remembrance of their dedication to young people in the textile industry.

Yanpai expands nonwovens capacity with two new ANDRITZ needlepunch lines

Zhejiang Yanpai Filter Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Yanpai”) has placed an order with international technology group ANDRITZ for two high-performance needlepunch lines. The equipment will be installed at Yanpai’s headquarters facility in Tiantai County, China. Commissioning is scheduled for the third quarter of 2026.