#Recycling / Circular Economy

2025-07-03

Infinited Fiber Company appoints new chair and board members to drive next growth phase

Infinited Fiber Company has announced key changes to its Board of Directors following its Annual General Meeting on June 30, 2025. The new appointments are designed to support the company’s strategic focus on scaling its proprietary Infinna™ technology, expanding partnerships across the textile value chain, and preparing for industrial-level investment.

Vibeke Krohn has been named Executive Chair of the Board. An experienced business leader with a strong track record in sustainable innovation and circular economy strategies, Krohn steps into the role at a pivotal moment for the company. She is joined by two new board members: Fernando de Bunes, Chief Sustainability Officer at Inditex, and Jan-Elof Cavander, Chief Operating Officer at Virala Oy. Their combined expertise spans sustainability leadership, global operations, and industrial growth.

Continuing on the board are Laura Coppen, Nakul Saran, and Markus Mannström, ensuring continuity alongside the fresh perspectives of the new members. The company expressed its thanks to outgoing Chair Andreas Tallberg and former board member Javier Losada for their guidance during a key phase of Infinited Fiber’s development.

“Infinited Fiber and its Infinna™ textile-to-textile recycling technology have enormous potential,” said Vibeke Krohn. “I’m honored to step into this role and excited to help guide the company as it scales up its technology and builds a truly circular textile value chain.”

“With this board in place, we are well positioned to move from technology pioneer to industrial leader,” said Sahil Kaushik, Acting CEO and COO of Infinited Fiber Company. “Our focus is now on proving Infinna™ at industrial scale – a regenerated fiber that offers a lower environmental footprint than cotton and viscose, while integrating seamlessly into existing textile production systems.”

Infinna™, the company's flagship fiber, is derived from post-consumer textiles and designed to meet the demands of global fashion and textile manufacturing.

Infinited Fiber Company enters the next strategic phase under new leadership

Infinited Fiber Company announces that Petri Alava, co-founder and CEO since the company’s founding in 2016, will step down from his role on May 31, 2025. Chief Operating Officer Sahil Kaushik will serve as acting CEO from June 1, 2025. Petri Alava will continue supporting the company as Senior Advisor through the end of November. The Board of Directors has initiated the search for a permanent successor.

Infinited Fiber and Norbite collaborate in EU-funded TEX-INSECT project

Infinited Fiber Company is pleased to announce its collaboration on the EU funded TEX-INSECT project, which aims to develop and optimize Norbite’s technology that converts synthetics originating from textile waste into sustainable bioproducts. Infinited Fiber’s process takes in cotton-rich textile waste otherwise destinated into landfills or incinerators.

Project update: Focus on supply chain readiness and environmental permits

Infinited Fiber Company is revolutionizing the fashion and textile industries by transforming cotton-rich textile waste, which would otherwise be destined for landfills or incineration, into a premium textile fiber known as Infinna™. This innovative solution offers a versatile, circular alternative to cotton. The company is currently in the process of scaling up operations and progressing towards the construction of its first commercial-scale Infinna™ factory.

JACK & JONES and Infinited Fiber take the next step in their collaboration

This time, the outcome of the collaboration is a pair of cargo pants, made with 40% Infinna™ fiber and 60% in-conversion-cotton. The pants, which run under the name JPSTKARL, represent yet another important step forward in material innovation and adds up to JACK & JONES’ ongoing commitment to offering high-quality products that align with their A Better World strategy.

Innovation center for textile circular economy inaugurated

Just over eight months after the foundation stone was laid, the new Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy was officially inaugurated today at TITK Rudolstadt. Thuringia's Minister President Mario Voigt, TITK Director Benjamin Redlingshöfer, and other guests of honor cut the ribbon to the modern building complex and viewed the premises, which are now ready for occupancy. The “DICE – Demonstration and Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy” is TITK's largest single investment to date. The Free State of Thuringia supported the total cost of €11.5 million with €8 million in GRW and FTI funding.

Waste2Fashion: FTTH Committed to advancing Circular Fashion in the Mediterranean

As an official partner of the Waste2Fashion project, the Tunisian Federation of Textile and Apparel (FTTH) participated in the Kick-off Meeting held on 10–11 December in Spain. The event brought together project partners from across the Mediterranean, including Spain, Italy, Egypt, Lebanon, and Tunisia, to align on a shared vision and initiate the first implementation steps.

Sustainable design of Geosynthetics and roof underlayments made from recyclates

Is it possible to recover plastic recyclates from previously unused waste streams in order to produce high-quality fibers and films? How can bio-based polymer fibers be manufactured so as to allow adjustable biodegradability? These are the questions being addressed by researchers from the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE in the Zirk-Tex project.

AATCC announces 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition winners

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) recognized the winners of the 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition. Founded in 1982 to give student members the chance to conduct and present original research, the competition was renamed in 1994 in honor of Herman and Myrtle Goldstein, following their US$60,000 endowment. Their gift is a lasting remembrance of their dedication to young people in the textile industry.

Yanpai expands nonwovens capacity with two new ANDRITZ needlepunch lines

Zhejiang Yanpai Filter Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Yanpai”) has placed an order with international technology group ANDRITZ for two high-performance needlepunch lines. The equipment will be installed at Yanpai’s headquarters facility in Tiantai County, China. Commissioning is scheduled for the third quarter of 2026.