#Recycling / Circular Economy

2024-06-06

Altor acquires remaining assets of Renewcell, ushering in a new era as circulose

Renewcell, a leader in cotton textile recycling, is pleased to announce that its remaining assets have been acquired by Altor, a respected investment firm based in Sweden. This acquisition marks a new chapter for Renewcell, now renamed Circulose.

With Altor's ownership, there is secure financing for the future of Circulose, ensuring that the company’s pioneering cotton recycling technology continues to thrive on a global scale.

The technology of recycling cotton to make a dissolving pulp for MMCF producers, such as viscose, has been a cornerstone of the company’s operations. CIRCULOSE® pulp, the innovative solution for textile-to-textile circularity, will remain at the forefront to create a sustainable future for the fashion and textile industry. This commitment to innovation and sustainability is further strengthened by Altor's investment, which provides the resources and network needed to scale Circulose’s impact and reach.

The current inventory of CIRCULOSE® pulp and fiber is ready to meet market demands, supported by our dedicated CIRCULOSE® Supplier Network (CSN) partners who continue to provide high-quality materials. This ensures that the market can confidently move forward with the assurance of an uninterrupted supply chain.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to our customers, partners, and stakeholders for their unwavering support and collaboration during this journey,” remarks Magnus Lundmark, Chief Executive Officer at Circulose.

“Together, we will continue to drive positive change, leveraging Altor's expertise and resources to enhance our capabilities and secure a confident future for Circulose and the broader textile community.”

Circulose is committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and reliability through the transition into this exciting new phase of building a resilient, innovative, and circular future for the textile industry.

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.

Circulose and CTA announce collaboration to enable lyocell fibers using CIRCULOSE® pulp

Circulose has announced an agreement with China Textile Academy Green Fibre (CTA) to offer lyocell fibers produced using CIRCULOSE® pulp. Producing lyocell from recycled pulp at commercial scale is an important step in making textile-to-textile recycled materials available across a wider range of textile applications.

Solving the Feedstock Gap: Unlocking Post-consumer Feedstocks for Textile-to-Textile Recycling in Europe

Fashion for Good launches Project FAE (Feedstock Activation Europe) to develop the sorting and pre-processing infrastructure needed to channel non-rewearable post-consumer textiles into textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling at scale. The project is a practical response to one of the most pressing problems in textile circularity: making post-consumer waste a viable, commercially competitive raw material for recyclers.

BASF at Techtextil 2026: Helping to shape the future of the textile industry with tangible solutions

At the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens from April 21 to 24, 2026 at the Messe Frankfurt, BASF will present numerous solutions and new projects in the textile sector to customers and partners at booth B 68 in hall 11.0. The focus is on product innovations and future-oriented technologies.

BTMA backs global growth while investing in future UK leaders

As one of a number of new initiatives launched this year, the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is launching the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, has implications that extend across sourcing, competitiveness and long-term trade dynamics, believes BTMA CEO Jason Kent.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.