#Recycling / Circular Economy

2022-01-13

Institute welcomes new members to standards steering committee

The Institute is pleased to welcome Dr. Anna Lennquist, Senior Toxicologist at The International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec), and Dr. Nikola Juhasz, Global Technical Director for Sustainability at Sun Chemical, who have been appointed to the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s Standards Steering Committee by the Institute’s Board of Directors, as of 1 January 2022.

The appointments are the result of a thorough selection process that started in September 2021 with a public call for members.

The Committee is composed of technical and subject matter experts from a variety of stakeholder groups. The new appointments deepen the expertise of the Committee across all categories of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Standard, bringing on board additional material health expertise. Below is a full list of current members:

• Sean Ansett - Founder, At Stake Advisors Limited

• Dr. Alain Casoli - Group R&D Regulatory Affairs Director, Tarkett

• Don Frey- Chief Innovation Officer, The Honest Company

• Annette Hastrup - Owner and CEO, Vugge til Vugge ApS

• Dr. Nikola Juhasz - Global Technical Director for Sustainability, Sun Chemical

• Dr. Anna Lennquist - Senior Toxicologist – The International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec)

• Dr. Jennifer Russell - Assistant Professor, Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University

• Jimmy Summers - Vice President of Environment, Health, and Safety, and Chief Sustainability Officer, Elevate Textiles, Inc

• Tom Vereijken - Director, European Water Stewardship, Water Stewardship Academy BV

• Dr. Susan Klosterhaus - Vice President, Science and Certification, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

The Standards Steering Committee is charged with providing oversight of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard and is the main governance body for the standard.

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute verifies products and materials that are safe, circular and responsibly made by assessing sustainability performance across five categories: material health, product circularity, clean air and climate protection, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness. For more than a decade, leading brands, designers and manufacturers have relied on the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard to optimize products for immediate and long-term positive impacts on human and environmental health.

Learn more here about the Committee and its members:

https://www.c2ccertified.org/the-team/standards-steering-committee

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI reshape textile processing

Investment decisions in textile processing have become increasingly complex. Rising energy prices, labour shortages and geopolitical uncertainties are forcing companies to prioritise technologies that deliver measurable improvements in efficiency and process stability. This applies not only to apparel production, but also to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. Modernisation projects are therefore being evaluated more selectively – but the pressure to upgrade production systems continues to grow. Texprocess 2026 reflects this tension between cautious investment behaviour and increasing technological demand.

Textile Chemicals & Dyes: Innovation in Textile Chemistry moves into focus at Techtextil 2026

From PFAS-free finishes and water-saving dyeing technologies to advanced coatings and recycling-compatible formulations, innovation in textile chemistry is accelerating across the industry. Reflecting this development, Techtextil 2026 introduces Textile Chemicals & Dyes as a dedicated product segment, highlighting the growing role of chemical solutions in shaping the next generation of technical textiles.

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.

Europe needs tipping point to scale textile-to-textile recycling, BCG and ReHubs say

A new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and ReHubs, titled “Advancing Textile Circularity – Europe’s textile waste challenge: Scaling Textile-to-Textile requires enabling mechanisms”, highlights the urgent need for systemic action to tackle Europe’s growing textile waste and scale a circular textile economy.

AI Circular Economy Conference 2026 fuels innovation at the intersection of AI and Circular Economy

The AI Circular Economy Conference 2026, organised by nova-Institute, brought together 116 participants from 15 countries in Cologne and online to explore the transformation of the chemical and materials industry supported and accelerated by artificial intelligence. During the two-day event, leading experts from industry, research, start-ups and the investment community discussed how AI can maximise the potential of renewable carbon creating efficient circular value chains. The conference featured 24 presentations and multiple panel discussions, highlighting the growing convergence of digital technologies and circular material systems. It demonstrated how artificial intelligence is progressing from the experimental stage to real industrial implementation within the circular economy.

Circ deepens access to recycled fibers with Xinxiang Bailu Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd. partnership agreement

Circ®, a global leader in textile‑to‑textile recycling, today announced a new partnership agreement with Xinxiang Bailu Chemical Fiber Co., a Canopy Dark Green Shirt producer and one of the world’s leading producers of viscose filament. The agreement marks a significant step in Circ’s continued expansion in China and strengthens its position within the country’s rapidly evolving circular textile ecosystem; further supporting Circ’s ability to supply recycled fibers near existing fashion supply chains.

YKK launches “YZiP® Light” aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants

YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) has launched YZiP® Light, a lightweight aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants, with sales beginning in late March. The introduction of YZiP® Light expands YKK’s zipper portfolio—led by the flagship YZiP® copper alloy zipper—providing customers with greater flexibility to meet diverse garment needs.

Shima Seiki showcases WHOLEGARMENT® and 3D knitting solutions for technical textiles at Techtextil 2026

Leading textile technology solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, along with its Italian subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI ITALIA S.p.A., will be participating in the Techtextil 2026 exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany next month. On display will be WHOLEGARMENT® and other advanced three-dimensional knitting applications across a wide range of industries besides fashion apparel that are not typically associated with knitting, such as technical textiles using industrial materials and advanced three-dimensional knitting.