#Recycling / Circular Economy

2022-08-04

Renewcell and ZARA collaborate to create a capsule collection made from material produced with Circulose®

Zara, the global fashion brand and part of Inditex Group, is partnering with Renewcell for a capsule collection made with Circulose®, a branded material produced from 100% recycled textiles.

Circulose®, developed by Renewcell, is a biodegradable raw material used to produce textile fibers for fashion like viscose and lyocell. Fibers produced with Circulose® helps brands to limit the use of virgin textile fibers, reducing the climate and environmental impact caused by raw material production and waste.

ZARA x Circulose® – Ribbed knit tunic top and ribbed knit trousers © 2022 Renewcell

“Zara is one of the largest fashion brands in the world, a testament to its power to influence real change within the industry. Collaborations with such global brands, bring our vision to change fashion at scale to life, and our rapid growth would not be possible without partners like Zara joining this shift. We are delighted to reveal this collection made with Circulose® as the latest step in our ongoing collaboration.” said Patrik Lundström, CEO of Renewcell.

Soon operating at commercial scale in their new plant in Sundsvall, Sweden, the 100% textile-to-textile recycled material Circulose® by Renewcell continues to save waste from landfills by creating value through circular supply chains with brands around the world, now with Zara.

For Zara, this collaboration is part of Inditex’s Sustainability Innovation Hub, an open-innovation platform. The aim is to work alongside start-ups, academic institutions, and tech centers to promote and scale initiatives developing new materials, technologies and processes that reduce the environmental footprint of fashion and help advance towards more sustainable production.

ZARA x Circulose® – Long dress with cutout detail © 2022 Renewcell

The collection made with Circulose® is available beginning August 4th at http://www.zara.com.

“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.

Eco-design as the foundation of circular textiles

Based on the results of an extensive European analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is currently developing three practice-based training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. This was preceded by a comprehensive company survey and a joint analysis conducted by the project partners under the leadership of IVGT. The results show that the greatest challenges lie not so much in a lack of technology as in skills gaps.

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at Première Vision Paris

Leading digital textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will exhibit at Première Vision Paris in Paris, France next month. The company will exhibit in the "Smart Creation" area, dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge technologies that integrate sustainability and innovation. The knitting expert will be demonstrating solutions that optimize product development workflows and enhance sustainability through proposals in Digital Product Creation (DPC).

ICAC International Seminar in Taipei to explore strategic synergies across the textile supply chain

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) — together with the Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF), under the guidance of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan — will bring international cotton and textile leaders together in Taipei on September 10 for the ICAC International Seminar 2026.