#Recycling / Circular Economy

2026-07-09

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

Testing of the ATENEA innovation project © 2026 Ence

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.

The companies have conducted the first laboratory tests at the facilities of AITEX, the leading Research and Innovation Center for the textile industry in Spain, located in Alcoy. This milestone represents a significant step forward in validating a solution designed to drive a comprehensive value chain for textile recycling in Spain.

The solutions obtained during these trials will serve as the basis for the next phases of work planned for the project. On the one hand, AITEX will use these materials to conduct wet spinning tests to produce regenerated fibers. At the same time, Ence will use the solutions to produce the first batches of recycled cellulose in its laboratories, advancing the development of processes that can later be scaled up to a future textile recycling pilot plant.

Regatex, a pilot plant for textile fiber recovery in As Pontes

Ence and Sharetex signed their collaboration agreement in 2024 as part of the Regatex initiative, a pilot plant for textile fiber recovery in As Pontes (A Coruña). As a result of this partnership, they have, for the first time, produced recycled cellulose from polycotton, promoting the circular economy. In addition, they have successfully conducted the first textile recycling tests using an innovative technology that does not require high pressure or temperature, nor does it use toxic solvents.

Circulose resumes recycling of discarded cotton textiles and appoints interim CEO

Circulose today announced its restart of commercial-scale production plant at Ortviken in Sundsvall, Sweden, marking a significant step in scaling next-generation materials for the global fashion industry. The Ortviken plant is the world’s first commercial-scale chemical textile recycling facility. Its restart demonstrates that the fashion industry is seeking ways to scale proven solutions that move beyond pilots and into commercial production.

Itema brings textile versatility to ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026

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Brückner showcases sustainable technologies for the future of textile finishing at ITMA ASIA 2026

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Reju expands textile-to-textile recycling network with six international fabric manufacturers

Reju, a textile-to-textile regeneration company, is expanding its industrial network through collaborations with six fabric manufacturers in Europe and the Americas. The initiative aims to accelerate the integration of regenerated polyester into textile manufacturing and support the development of finished fabrics for commercial applications.

Trützschler expands technical service capabilities for spinning mills in Pakistan

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Stäubli to introduce new S3292 dobby for high-speed weaving at ITME India 2026

Stäubli will introduce its new S3292 dobby at ITME India 2026, taking place from December 4 to 9 at the India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Designed for high-speed air-jet weaving, the new machine will be among the highlights of the company's presentation, which also includes warp preparation systems, cam motions, Jacquard technologies and digital services.

DITF develops bio-based binding fibers for wood-fiber insulation materials

As part of the CelluWoodFlex project, the German Institutes of Textile- and Fiber-Research in Denkendorf (DITF) are developing bio-based cellulose ester fibers as alternative binding fibers for flexible wood fiber insulation materials. In addition to the spinning process and the production of suitable staple fibers, the institute is also investigating how wood and cellulose fibers can be separated and recycled at the end of their useful life.

Magnera highlights HighPleat™ filtration media technology at FiltXPO 2026

At FiltXPO 2026, held on October 28–29 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Magnera highlighted advances in air filtration media architecture, with a particular focus on its HighPleat™ platform for MERV 8–10 applications. The technology combines a lofted fiber structure with optimized pore architecture to address the challenge of balancing filtration efficiency, airflow resistance and contaminant-holding capacity.

Ahlstrom expands depth filtration media production capacity at US facility

Ahlstrom has completed a major investment in its Kingston manufacturing facility in New York, USA, expanding production capacity for high-performance depth filtration media. The modernization of Line 3 is designed to improve manufacturing efficiency, enhance quality control and increase flexibility in producing different product widths.