#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

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Creating a circular economy for fashion and textiles in the UAE

As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) accelerates its shift towards a circular economy, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is working to co-design and deliver a national textiles circularity policy framework as part of the country’s wider Naseej initiative, a Presidential-level programme to create a circular economy for fashion and textiles.

Indorama Ventures strengthens Packaging business through strategic circular PET partnership

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, today announced a strategic partnership through Indovida, Indorama Ventures’ packaging business segment, with Suntory Holdings Limited, Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Iwatani Corporation, to bring commercial-scale circular PET packaging to Thailand. The collaboration further strengthens Indorama Ventures’ downstream packaging platform while expanding its leadership in circular packaging solutions.

Managed workwear services are providing a blueprint for the circular textile economy

Managed workwear service providers are demonstrating how commercial success and circularity can go hand in hand by extending garment lifespans through repair, laundering, reuse and recycling, according to “Managed workwear services—a circular textile economy ahead of the game”, a new 14‑page report from the global business information company Textiles Intelligence.

Brazil sets new cotton export record and consolidates global leadership

Brazil ended the 2025/26 commercial year with a new record, consolidating its position as the world’s largest cotton exporter. Between August 2025 and July 2026, the country shipped 3,373,941 tonnes of the fiber, 19% more than in the previous cycle, and reached record revenue of US$5.3 billion. The result represents a milestone in Brazil’s expansion in the international market and reinforces the country’s role as a strategic supplier to the global textile industry.

The LYCRA Company expands its co-creation vision through an immersive Lifestyle District at Intertextile Shanghai.

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in fiber and technology solutions for the apparel industry, is reimagining the trade show experience at Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn Edition, which opened today in China. Building on the success of last year's ALL IN concept, the company has expanded its co-creation vision into a 356-square-meter Lifestyle District featuring partners Jingzili New Material, JYT Textile, Lianxingfa Knitting, and Trend Textile. The district is part of a larger 895-square-meter pavilion showcasing a total of 19 co-exhibitors. Together, they demonstrate how innovations in fiber, fabric, and garments can be combined to create compelling solutions for both work and play.

Plastic-free stretch technologies drive new direction for denim innovation

As the denim industry looks for ways to reduce its reliance on synthetic fibres, plastic-free stretch technologies are gaining momentum. Developments based on mechanical fabric construction and natural rubber are demonstrating that comfort and stretch can be achieved without conventional elastane, supporting both recyclability and circular product design.