#Recycling / Circular Economy

2022-01-27

VF and The North Face help rev up world's first machine to separate and recycle blended fabrics

Due to population growth and rapid changes in fashion trends, the amount of textile waste sent to landfills around the world has become severe.

Today, the cotton-polyester fabric blend is the most popular blend in the world, due to its improved fit, style, comfort and longevity over single fiber fabrics.

Unfortunately, blended fabrics have not been able to be recycled and fed back into the supply chain as part of a waste-free closed-loop recycling system…

…until now.

Introducing “The Green Machine”

VF is excited to partner with an international consortium on a feasibility study of “The Green Machine,” the world’s first recycling technology that has proven to separate cotton from polyester in blended fabrics.

This multi-stakeholder initiative is led by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and brings together key partners along the garment supply chain including the Hong Kong Research institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), Chip Mong Insee, Dakota Industrial, H&M Foundation and VF to assess the industrial scale development of the Green Machine in Cambodia.

Cambodia is the 9th largest garment producer in the world, and roughly 60% of its total industrial waste is comprised of textiles and garments.

The North Face® will conduct its feasibility study, ultimately informing its decision to use this technology at scale in 2022.

The Green Machine, created by HKRITA, is a hydrothermal treatment method using only heat, water and less than 15% biodegradable chemicals to selectively separate cotton from polyester.

The quality of the polyester fibers is maintained throughout the process, which allows for fiber-to-fiber recycling and forms a closed loop recycling system that eliminates waste.

The North Face® has set a goal for 100% of its apparel fabrics to be recycled, regeneratively-grown and/or responsibly-sourced renewable by 2025.

VF has a goal of half our polyester to come from recycled materials by 2025.

The Green Machine will be a game changer for major companies like VF, bringing us one step closer to a circular fashion economy where the demand for virgin material and used textile waste are a thing of the past.

This multi-stakeholder initiative will have a positive impact on air quality, water and land use, ultimately contributing to a better future for the people of Cambodia and the planet.

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.

Circular economy offers the EU win-win on environment and economy

Stepping up a circular economy offers the European Union the potential for significant positive impacts on Europe’s environment and poses an untapped and strategic economic opportunity in terms of better access to materials and the creation of new businesses. Three new assessments on circularity, published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA), also stress the need to accelerate investment in circularity efforts to meet EU climate and environment policy targets.

BB Engineering unveils new, patented “Val-uePack” spin pack at ITM

At the upcoming ITM in Istanbul, taking place June 9–13 at the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center in Hall 7, Booth 702B, BB Engineering will once again be represented at a joint booth with its parent company, Barmag, and its representative, Tekstil Servis. The German machine manufacturer will show-case its expertise in man-made fiber and recycling technology, presenting its entire product portfolio, which includes compo-nents such as extruders and filters, as well as complete sys-tems for spinning synthetic fibers, air-texturing, and PET recy-cling.

Fifteen years of Autoneum – From spin off to global technology leader

What started as a strategic carve‑out has since become the success story of a global technology leader in acoustic and thermal management solutions for vehicles. Headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, Autoneum supplies leading automobile manufacturers worldwide with innovative, lightweight and increasingly sustainable solutions.

Kruger, Canada, orders first nonwovens line for sustainable wipes from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from newly established Kruger Nonwovens to deliver a complete WetlaceTM hybrid line for the Wayagamack mill in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. With this investment, pulp and paper producer Kruger is preparing to enter the nonwovens market with a new generation of plastic-free, chemical-free materials for sustainable wipes. The line is the first of its kind in Canada and is scheduled to start production in 2028.

Picanol to present its leading weaving technology at ITM 2026

Picanol is pleased to announce it will be participating in ITM 2026 in Istanbul. This is a key event for industry professionals to engage with the Turkish textile industry as well as the extensive international audience attending the fair. During the event, Picanol will present its latest innovations to the visitors in Hall 8, booth 802.