#Recycling / Circular Economy

2020-06-25

Eastman introduces Tritan™ Renew for sustainability without compromise

Global specialty plastics provider Eastman introduces Tritan™ Renew copolyester. Tritan Renew offers sustainability without compromise, providing the same durability, performance and safety of original Tritan but now with up to 50% recycled content derived from waste plastic. Eastman will produce Tritan Renew with its innovative Advanced Circular Recycling technologies that use recycled plastic as a raw material, reduce consumption of fossil fuel and have lower greenhouse gas footprints.

Sustainable materials provider previews new-generation Tritan copolyester

“Tritan Renew is a significant step forward for Eastman as the first product to market using molecular recycling made possible by Eastman’s Advanced Circular Recycling technologies. We have made considerable progress over the past year to create sustainable solutions that convert millions of pounds of waste into new materials,” said Mark Costa, Board chair and CEO of Eastman.

Eastman is committed to innovations that help build a circular economy. In 2019, the company began commercial-scale recycling for a broad set of plastics to keep material from being sent to landfills or incinerated or, worse, ending up in the environment.

Eastman’s Advanced Circular Recycling technologies—carbon renewal technology (CRT) and polyester renewal technology (PRT)—have a significantly lower carbon footprint than production processes for products made from fossil fuel-based raw materials. Eastman’s molecular recycling innovations can return waste plastic to its molecular form an infinite number of times, creating the possibility for a truly circular future.

“Thanks to the rapid innovation of polyester renewal technology, Tritan Renew adds certified recycled content to its exceptional performance and delivers one of the most exciting sustainability solutions available,” said Scott Ballard, vice president and general manager for Eastman Specialty Plastics. “Tritan’s toughness has been enabling durable, reusable products to reduce the waste from single-use materials since its introduction in 2008.”

Eastman is producing Tritan Renew with certified recycled content for a variety of durable products, including reusable sports bottles, small appliances, food-storage containers and eyewear, as well as textiles and cosmetics packaging. The recycled content of these products is achieved through a mass balance allocation process certified by ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification).

Visit http://eastman.com/tritanrenew to find out more about Tritan Renew and Eastman’s recycling technologies.

“Production is a product”

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.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

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.