#Recycling / Circular Economy

2024-04-18

Eastman collaborates with Debrand to recycle apparel waste from top brands

Eastman, a specialty materials company and producer of Naia™ cellulosic fibers, has formed a strategic collaboration with Debrand, a prominent, next-life logistics company specializing in finding sustainable solutions to apparel waste for some of the world’s top apparel and footwear brands.

Teaming up with Debrand for collection of the waste, Eastman is using its cutting-edge molecular recycling technology to recycle 5,000 pounds of pre- and post-consumer apparel waste. The process breaks down apparel waste to its molecular building blocks and uses the certified recycled material to create Naia™ Renew fibers — circular fibers made from 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% recycled waste material via Global Recycled Standard-certified mass balance.

Employee holds shredded apparel © 2024 Debrand

“We are committed to advancing sustainable solutions for the fashion industry,” said Claudia de Witte, Eastman’s textiles sustainability leader. “Partnering with Debrand allows us to drive progress on our Naia™ sustainability goals, particularly to mainstream circularity by creating sustainable solutions for textiles that have reached end of life and turning them into valuable resources for new Naia™ Renew fibers. This collaboration underscores our commitment to work closely with key collectors and sorters to drive the necessary infrastructure changes for advancing sustainability in the fashion industry.”

Eastman and Debrand are showcasing the transformative potential of molecular recycling technology to address the textile waste crisis. By providing more circular solutions for apparel waste, this partnership sets a new standard for sustainable practices in the fashion industry. Prior to its collaboration with Eastman, Debrand secured a strategic investment from Waste Management, the leading provider of comprehensive waste management in North America, to deliver circular solutions across the U.S. and Canada.

Apparel waste bales for shipping © 2024 Debrand

“We are excited to collaborate with Eastman on this innovative pilot project and create building blocks toward valuable systems of sustainability,” said Lina G. Londono, vice president of sustainability at Debrand. “We took on this project with an intentional and iterative approach that would reach meaningful milestones. This project was designed to offer scalability and accessibility for other brands that would want to participate in the future.”

Eastman continues to partner with strategic brands and organizations to drive innovation and enhance the infrastructure for a circular economy in the textiles industry. Recently, Eastman teamed up with Patagonia to recycle 8,000 pounds of its unusable apparel, demonstrating Eastman’s commitment to close the loop on textiles.

Eastman Naia™ debuts at Kingpins Amsterdam, transforming Denim from the inside out

At Kingpins Amsterdam (April 15–16, 2026), Naia™ by Eastman Chemical Company makes its debut, presenting its approach to circularity and comfort in denim at Stand 1, Ground Level (Blue Area). The brand also highlights its growing global ecosystem, connecting mill partners, designers and brands working to expand denim possibilities through fiber innovation.

Eastman introduces Naia™ Lyte at Première Vision Paris, marking a major breakthrough in fiber tenacity for cellulose acetate filament yarn performance

Eastman unveils Naia™ Lyte, a new cellulose acetate filament yarn that represents an important milestone in performance for lightweight and premium fabrics, at Première Vision Paris. Presented for the first time to the international fashion and textile community, Naia™ Lyte expands the capabilities of acetate yarn by introducing enhanced tenacity, unlocking new creative and technical possibilities for designers, mills and brands.

Eastman Naia™ awarded top Canopy rating at Textile Exchange Conference 2025, advancing its sustainability 2025–2030 goals

At the Textile Exchange Conference in Lisbon, Eastman Naia™ was honored with its fourth consecutive “Dark Green Shirt” in Canopy’s Hot Button Report, an annual ranking of man-made cellulosic fiber producers based on forest conservation, sourcing risk, and supply chain transparency. The recognition confirms Naia™’s ongoing leadership in responsible sourcing and environmental stewardship, distinguishing it as one of the industry’s most trusted fiber platforms.

Industrial scale meets verified governance: RE&UP is now B Corp™ certified

RE&UP, the circular-tech transforming global textile waste into high-volume Next-Gen materials, has officially become a Certified B Corporation™. The milestone establishes the industrial recycler among a select group of manufacturing infrastructure providers verified as meeting B Lab Standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.