Starting in 2026, Europe’s wind energy industry has committed itself to ensuring that wind turbine blades do not end up in landfills once they reach the end of their service life. The EU-funded research project REWIND is exploring ways to reuse this composite waste. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are one of 13 project partners from seven countries.
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.
Textile Exchange has published its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting continued growth in certified sites, industry participation and the development of its standards and membership structure. According to the report, more than 100,000 sites worldwide are now certified to Textile Exchange standards, more than three times the number recorded in 2020. Preliminary figures also indicate 12% year-on-year growth across the organization's current standards, including the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and the Responsible Animal Fiber standards.
bluesign has published the 2026 editions of its three core chemical reference lists, introducing updated substance limits and testing requirements in line with the latest scientific findings and regulatory developments.
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.
Usha Yarns Limited (“Usha Yarns”), a producer of high-quality recycled yarns with advanced, well established production processes, announced a growth equity investment from the Fullerton Carbon Action Fund (“Fullerton”), a private equity strategy managed by Fullerton Fund Management that backs established mid-market companies across Emerging Asia to accelerate decarbonisation.
Together with CWS Workwear, the German Customs Administration is extending the life cycle of service uniforms through reuse, recycling and material recovery, demonstrating how circular economy principles can be successfully implemented in the public sector while delivering significant savings.
Fashion for Good announced the launch of Project DW(O)R-X, a collaborative initiative designed to benchmark PFAS alternative durable water- and oil-repellent (DW(O)R) chemistries. Responding to growing market demand for alternatives to PFAS‑based finishes, the project aims to generate reliable, comparable data that can support informed sourcing decisions and the assessment of emerging chemistries.
The organizers of the Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference (ADD-ITC) 2026 have released the preliminary program for this year's event, which will take place on November 26–27, 2026, at the International Congress Center Dresden. The conference is expected to attract between 500 and 700 participants from industry, research, and academia.
Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, is advancing the circular economy through a new Zero Waste to Landfill initiative at its recycling site PETValue Philippines, further demonstrating how collaboration across industries can maximize resource efficiency and reduce waste.
In 2026, the Industry Research Group (IRG) Polymer Recycling once again brought together some of the key stakeholders in textile recycling for its annual Networking Day. This year, the event took place at EREMA’s premises in Ansfelden, Austria. It brought together key players from across the textile recycling value chain for a day of structured exchange and in-depth discussions.
Self-actuating textile structures are used in a wide range of applications, such as medical technology, automation, architecture, agriculture, and the apparel industry. An example is the use of shading nets in greenhouses, which can be deployed and retracted depending on the sunlight intensity. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are developing textiles based on shape-memory polymers with reversibly controllable geometry.
The European Union's ban on the destruction of unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear has entered into force. Since July 19, 2026, large companies across the EU have been prohibited from destroying unsold textile products, while medium-sized companies will be required to comply with the same rules from 2030.
Circ today announced that the first men's denim collection featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology is now available at H&M, marking the commercial delivery of this unique pilot project first announced in October 2025. Featuring two styles available across the UK, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, South Europe, Turkey, North America, Mexico, Canada, and the Middle East, the launch brings TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology into H&M's standard men's denim assortment for the first time.
Global Standard has released Version 8.1 of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), following the publication of Version 8.0 in March 2026.
Swedish textile recycling company ReSpin has joined the Textile Machinery Association of Sweden (TMAS) as a new member. The company develops a patented mechanical recycling technology designed to transform textile waste into new fibres suitable for yarn production.
Pirelli, Pyrum, Synthos and BASF are jointly advancing a tyre-to-tyre circular economy initiative in Europe, driving the development of an industrial ecosystem designed to increase the use of recycled materials derived from end-of-life and scrap tyres.
Representatives of the European Union, the Netherlands and Spain have visited Recover™’s textile recycling facility in Bangladesh to discuss the implications of upcoming EU textile regulations and the role of textile-to-textile recycling in future supply chains.
Recycling Powerhouse Ltd. was established in July 2026 to industrialize, standardize and scale textile recycling. Based in Switzerland, the venture will operate a franchise-driven business model that enables the production of high-quality, certified recycled yarns. The project is supported by the following partners: Rieter Group, the world’s leading system supplier for natural and man-made fibers, Säntis Textiles, a Swiss textile engineering company, and Valvan, a Belgian sorting technology company. The first blueprint franchise operation is scheduled to launch early 2027 in partnership with Suhail Industrial Holding Group in Qatar.
bluesign, which partners with the textile industry to reduce adverse impact across the value chain, appoints Hanane Taidi as Chief Executive Officer, marking a pivotal moment as the company builds on its leadership amid rapid industry change.
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.
The apparel alliance (Apparel Impact Institute, Cascale, Textile Exchange, and ZDHC Foundation) today announced the launch of Version 2 of the Supply Chain Taxonomy, an updated harmonized framework designed to improve consistency, transparency, and collaboration across the textile, clothing, leather, and footwear (TCLF) sectors of the broader apparel industry.
Crucial new data to better understand, measure, and address the impacts of cashmere production has been made available to the fashion, textile, and apparel industry through a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) published by Textile Exchange.
Indovinya, the specialty chemicals and surfactants division of Indorama Ventures, has entered into an agreement with Air Liquide — a world leader in gases, technologies, and services for industry and healthcare — for the supply of renewable oxygen. The agreement represents a strategic advancement in Indovinya’s commitment to sustainability, as it increases the share of renewable raw materials in the production of ethylene oxide, one of its key products.
Meadow Grove Research is a commodity research firm specializing in supply, demand, and trade analysis in cotton and other soft commodities. Providing clarity to the complex nature of the global fiber supply chain is one of its most formidable services. The firm thrives on customer engagement and providing the best framework for critical decisions.
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.
YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper series made from nonwoven fabric sheets created by fiberizing used clothing and other textile materials. Based on a proposal by fashion designer Yuima Nakazato, this item was created as a result of collaboration between Nakazato, Seiko Epson Corporation and YKK. The concept zipper was incorporated as a material component for pieces in the newest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” which was unveiled in Paris, France on July 8, 2026.
Leading Japanese textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, showed a special version of its P-CAM® R multi-ply computerized cutting machine dedicated to the production of car seats for the first time, at a private exhibition held over two days on Thursday, July 2nd and Friday, July 3rd at the Kariya City Industrial Promotion Center in Aichi Prefecture.
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 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.
What if used plastic bottles, PET packaging material and polyester textiles could become raw materials just as high performing as virgin resources? That is the ambition of DePoly, a circular materials company based in Sion, Switzerland which inaugurated its Showcase Plant in Monthey on July 6th & 7th. The first depolymerization facility of its kind and scale in Switzerland, this industrial Showcase Plant represents a major milestone in the company's growth and its journey toward commercialization.
The European Commission today adopted new rules on recycling of single-use plastic beverage bottles made primarily of polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottles). These rules establish, for the first time, a methodology to calculate, verify and report chemically recycled content. This is part of the Commission’s December 2025 plastics package.
Global Standards gGmbH, the nonprofit organisation behind the globally recognised Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), announced a new governance structure designed to support its long-term mission and reinforce organisational autonomy of its Voluntary Sustainability Standards and programmes.
DyStar, a leading specialty chemicals company with more than a century of expertise in product development and innovation, today announced the release of its FY2025 Sustainability Report, marking a significant milestone in its sustainability journey and reinforcing its commitment to long-term value creation.
In the “TERIS” project, the Fraunhofer institutes ICT, IGD, and IWM—led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF—have reached a decisive milestone. For the first time, the teams aim to generate, analyse, and predict tire wear in the laboratory in a standardized and practical manner. As part of this milestone, results are now available on reference abrasion, particle analysis, tribological models, AI-based surface analysis, a test bench concept, and methods for accelerated aging and VOC detection. The tire industry, testing services, and environmental agencies will in future benefit from reliable, rapid laboratory procedures for emissions assessment.
Pathfinder Australia Pty Ltd, a global manufacturer of advanced cutting room technology for the textile and related industries, today announced the launch of Tecnología de Corte Pathfinder, S. de R.L. de C.V., its new Mexico-based subsidiary.
French recycling technology company Recyc'Elit showcased the latest progress in its chemical recycling technology during the second National Polymer Recycling Conference, organised by AXELERA and POLYMERIS in Clermont-Ferrand, France, on 30 June and 1 July 2026.
The CHT Group has expanded its portfolio of textile finishing solutions with the introduction of ARRISTAN 7220, a non-ionic silicone microemulsion designed to deliver an exceptionally soft handle while maintaining high durability and process reliability.
For the industry, recycled materials are creating new opportunities in geotextile production. In the GREEN project, the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE demonstrates that recycled polypro-pylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and high-density polyeth-ylene (HDPE) can be processed into nonwovens, fibers, and membranes that meet industrial requirements. This creates opportunities for use in existing production lines and new value chains in the geotextile market.
ReHubs has elected its new Board of Directors, marking an important milestone as the industry alliance continues to accelerate the industrial scale-up of textile-to-textile recycling across Europe. The election took place during the ReHubs Annual Event in Brussels on June 23rd, held alongside the Textile Recycling Expo and Future Fabrics Expo. The newly elected Board combines expertise from across the textile value chain, reflecting ReHubs' collaborative approach to solving the industry’s textile waste crises.
Reju, the company specializing in textile regeneration, today announced the opening of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the company's first proprietary research center in North America. Located within Technip Energies' existing Advanced Materials and Catalysts research center, the lab will allow Reju to accelerate the rollout of its recycling technologies and develop its next-generation circular solutions.
The first chapter of Catalyst Club debuted in Florence, bringing together creative directors, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, journalists and innovators from across the fashion and textile industry for an evening of dialogue, exchange and connection.
The second edition of Textiles Recycling Expo concluded on 24–25 June at Brussels Expo, reinforcing its position as Europe's leading exhibition and conference dedicated exclusively to textile recycling and circularity.
Renewables lower energy prices and play key role to reduce vulnerability to fossil fuel supply shocks Boosting the use of homegrown renewable electricity is Europe’s best way to reduce its vulnerability to volatile international energy supplies and rising energy prices according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment published today.
Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is developing three practical training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. The content of the first module, Recycling Technologies, has now been developed and validated together with industry representatives. The module provides participants with knowledge of regulatory requirements, material sorting and the preparation of textile waste for recycling.
Originally developed as an umbrella framework by innovation platform Fashion for Good, the RE&UP Fiber Club aims to accelerate the commercial adoption of circular Next-Gen materials across the global fashion ecosystem.
The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.
The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) yesterday officially signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two key global partners, Jeanologia and Looptworks, to establish the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem – a first-of-its-kind collaboration to accelerate the large-scale recycling of blended textiles.
In a joint project with Object Carpet GmbH, Denkendorf; the Institute for Textile Technology (ITA), Augsburg; and Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH (NGR), Feldkirchen, Austria, Barmag investigated the processing of recycled polyester for BCF yarn. The goal was to evaluate the fundamental suitability of 100% recycled carpet material for reuse in carpet yarn production to create a closed-loop system in carpet manufacturing. To date, commercial rPET BCF processes have been based solely on rPET from bottle pellets.
Albany International Corp. (NYSE:AIN) reports continued progress in the ongoing project with Cyclezyme AB, a leader in advanced enzyme-based plastic recycling, based in Sweden. The project exemplifies leading edge innovation in materials science, focusing on the development of enzyme-based recycling of industrial textiles primarily consisting of polyester and polyamide, where there is currently a significant lack of effective solutions for circular material flows. The objective of the project is to establish enzymatic processes for depolymerization and recycling of technical textiles and high-performance industrial materials.
Recycling, traceability, eco-design and digitalisation are among the key future challenges facing the European textile industry. The Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity, involving 21 partners from twelve countries, is investigating the skills required to address these challenges. As the German industry partner, the Industry Association for Finishing – Yarns – Fabrics – Technical Textiles (IVGT) is bringing the industry’s perspective to the project.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.
The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.
MAXCarbon technology, a novel carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre developed by ITA spin-off TERNAfil, secured third place at the HIGH-TECH.NRW Demo Day on the TÜV NORD campus in Essen. The technology combines the strength of carbon fibres with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. Mona Neubaur, Minister for Science in North Rhine-Westphalia, congratulated the team on their success and on winning prize money of 4,000 euros.
The textile industry is now in its fourth consecutive year of crisis, while automation, artificial intelligence and recycling are reshaping the rules of the game. In this interview, Rieter CEO Thomas Oetterli discusses the first signs of a market recovery, reflects on his first three years at the helm of the company, explains the integration of Barmag, outlines Rieter’s vision of the fully automated spinning mill and highlights the strategic importance of recycling. In doing so, he explains why the new Rieter Group aims to play a leading role in transforming the textile value chain into a circular economy.
Textile Exchange has released the agenda for its 2026 Conference, which will take place from October 12–16 in Vancouver, Canada. Under the theme “The Implementation Era,” the event will focus on translating sustainability commitments into practical action and scaling solutions across businesses, supply systems, and landscapes.
The Textile PRO Forum has published a new analysis highlighting the need for greater harmonisation of textile Extended Producer Responsibility systems across Europe. The document, Toward harmonised Textile EPR Systems in Europe: analysis and recommendations, presents the results of work carried out by Workstream 1 of the Textile PRO Forum, led by Dr. Eng. Viola Corbellini, Strategic Development and Innovation Expert at Erion Textiles, and Eng. Luca Campadello, General Director at Erion Textiles. The workstream focused on reducing administrative burden for textile producers by identifying areas where procedures could be better aligned across countries.
With only two weeks remaining until the start of the second edition of the Textiles Recycling Expo 2026, preparations are entering the final phase. The exhibition and conference, dedicated exclusively to textile recycling and circularity, will take place on 24–25 June 2026 at Brussels Expo and is expected to attract stakeholders from across the textile recycling value chain.
The global textile industry appears to be turning a corner, but this is more likely a fragile and possibly temporary improvement than the start of a durable recovery. According to the 38th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey, conducted worldwide during the second half of May 2026, business sentiment, order intake, order backlogs and capacity utilization all improved versus March — yet every indicator remains weak by historical standards, and rising costs cast doubt on how long the upturn can last.
Indorama Ventures, a global leader in recycled polyester staple fibers and filament yarns, will exhibit at Textiles Recycling Expo in Brussels on June 24–25. At the event, the company will show how brands and textile manufacturers can build traceable, circular textile supply chains by working with proven partners who deliver recycled materials on an industrial scale.
Recover™, a leading materials science company and one of the world’s largest producers of recycled cotton fiber, today announces the launch of Recover™ Yarns, a curated portfolio of ready-to-use yarn solutions designed to accelerate the adoption of recycled cotton across the apparel supply chain.
Uster AFIS 6 now offers the key data for better decisions when blending recycled fibers. Process control is decisive in determining the quality and economic outcome. The new R Recycling Module of AFIS 6 introduces the Recycling Opening Index (ROI), so spinners can optimize their circularity credentials. It was officially launched at ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye.
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.
YKK Corporation has announced plans to construct a new manufacturing facility in India, reinforcing its long-term commitment to one of the world's fastest-growing textile and apparel production hubs. The new factory will be built at Origins by Mahindra in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and will become the third manufacturing site of YKK India Private Limited. The facility is expected to be completed by February 2028 and represents an investment of approximately USD 150 million, covering land, buildings, machinery and equipment.
At Stand 2235 during the Textiles Recycling Expo 2026 in Brussels, Mesdan will present laboratory solutions designed to support the development and evaluation of textile-to-textile recycling processes.
The industrial deployment of enzymatic PET recycling in Asia is progressing, but at a slower pace than initially planned. French recycling technology company Carbios and its Chinese partner Wankai New Materials have announced that the commissioning of their planned PET biorecycling facility in Haining, Zhejiang Province, has been postponed and is now expected in the first half of 2028.
The footwear industry faces one of the most complex circularity challenges in the fashion sector. A new Phase 1 report from the Fashion for Good initiative Closing the Footwear Loop, developed together with Circle Economy, provides new insights into the composition, condition and recycling potential of post-consumer footwear waste.
The CHT Group GmbH has been honored as Best Managed Company 2026. The seal of approval recognizes excellently managed medium-sized companies and is awarded as part of a program by Deloitte Private, UBS, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and the Federation of German Industries (BDI).
As part of the PerPlacsBio project, nova-Institute has updated its popular poster on the biodegradability of polymers in different environments. The updated version reflects current standards, certifications and the latest scientific findings. The poster can be used to assess biodegradable alternatives for use in agriculture and forestry, and it is now available in German for the first time.
At the recent Texprocess exhibition in Frankfurt, Eton Systems – a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association – demonstrated its new aUPS module for the rapid sorting of used garments.
As the textile industry faces mounting pressure to scale circular solutions, improve recycling infrastructure, and respond to evolving regulation, Textiles Recycling Expo 2026 will bring together the organisations leading that transformation in practice.
At this year’s ITM, BMSvision proudly showcases its next leap forward in digital manufacturing excellence. As a long-standing global pioneer in Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) for the textile and plastics industries, BMSvision continues to accelerate digital transformation by delivering powerful, data-driven solutions that boost productivity, enhance quality and support sustainable growth. Visit BMSvision at the Vandewiele booth in Hall 7, Booth 710, to experience the future of textiles manufacturing.
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.
Textile ETP’s DigitX Innovation Hub published its strategic roadmap for the digital transformation of Europe's textile and apparel industry.
Holma Spinning Mill AB has been granted up to SEK 77.3 million in funding through the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leap initiative (Klimatklivet) to establish Sweden’s first industrial spinning line for recycled textile fibres.
