#Recycling / Circular Economy

2020-10-22

Renewcell and Tangshan Sanyou sign landmark deal to produce Circulose® textile-to-textile recycled fibers.

In what is an industry first, Swedish fashion recycling innovator Renewcell has reached an agreement with the leading Chinese viscose manufacturer Tangshan Sanyou to supply 175 000 tonnes of Circulose® dissolving pulp recycled 100% from discarded textiles. The five year deal, facilitated by Ekman, a leading global trading house for cellulose products, is a significant milestone in the scaling of circular and biodegradable materials for the fashion industry.

- “We have had this goal in mind for a long time, and it feels unreal that we are there. I am truly impressed by the industry leadership shown by Tangshan Sanyou and immensely proud of the Renewcell team for getting us to this point. Together, Renewcell, Tangshan Sanyou and Ekman are firmly committed to delivering on our promise to make fashion sustainable at scale” comments Patrik Lundström, CEO of Renewcell.

Renewcell and Tangshan Sanyou have worked together closely since 2019 to develop ground-breaking high quality viscose staple fibers made from Circulose® dissolving pulp recycled from post-consumer and post-industrial textile waste. These efforts resulted in fibers that have been launched in retail by global fashion brands such as H&M and Levi’s in 2020, proving the commercial potential of circular material to replace virgin fibers in a wide range of fashion applications.

- “The global fashion industry is striding forward on the road to sustainability. Leading the charge, we have developed and used recycled pulp from Renewcell, cooperated and successfully scaled up an innovative viscose product called Circulose® fiber. As one of the world's well-established viscose manufacturers, Sanyou strictly adheres to the concept of green development and takes active actions to jointly protect the global ecological environment” confirms Zheng Baishan, Chairman of Tangshan Sanyou Group Xingda Chemical Co. Ltd.

The global fashion industry is on the road to sustainability, and as a leader, we have developed, utilized, and successfully mass-produced a new product with Renewcell, a recycled pulp.

- As one of the world's leading manufacturers of adhesives, Sanyou is committed to the green development of the world's eco-friendly products. As one of the world's leading viscose manufacturers, Sanyou has always adhered to the concept of green development and taken positive actions to protect the global ecological environment.

The deal between Renewcell and Tangshan Sanyou was facilitated with the help of Ekman, a leading global trading house for cellulose products. Renewcell and Ekman have worked in close partnership to bring Circulose® to market.

- “Circulose®, the 100% recycled dissolving cellulose is an innovative product with great demand from the global textile industry. We are proud to be a partner in introducing and marketing this ground breaking new sustainable product and working together with our long term partners Sanyou and Renewcell” affirms Benny Johansson, Senior VP, Pulp Sales Ekman AG

Renewcell will deliver its recycled Circulose® dissolving pulp from its future plant in Sundsvall in Sweden. The agreement with Tangshan Sanyou is a key element to securing the financing for the new plant which is set to start production in the first half of 2022. Once operational, the new plant will be capable of recycling the equivalent of 300 million t-shirts, helping to close the loop on fashion and reducing fashion’s reliance on virgin materials like cotton and oil.

The announcement is celebrated by Canopy, a Canadian NGO with the mission to protect ancient and endangered forests globally. Through their CanopyStyle campaign, CanopyStyle Audits, and annual Hot Button Ranking, Canopy supports the adoption and scaling of Next Generation fibers throughout the fashion value chain.

- ”This exciting agreement will help bring vital Next Generation Solutions to life and save forests in the process," asserted Nicole Rycroft, Canopy Executive Director. "Today's announcement will ensure commercial volumes of Next Generation viscose will be available to a growing market ready for change. Hundreds of fashion brands want to stop the degradation of forests from textile production and we expect long line-ups for this product.”

“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.

Reju opens its first R&D Center in the U.S. in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

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.

New skills for a circular textile economy

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.

Itema reaffirms its commitment to the Syrian textile industry at NasTex 2026

From July 18th to 21st, Itema will exhibit at NasTex at the Damascus Fairground (Hall 11 – Stand C02), marking its return to one of the Middle East’s historically significant textile markets. Itema will showcase advanced weaving technology designed to support the competitiveness and technological evolution of Syrian manufacturers and announces a new partnership with Growfast Agency as the sole agent of Itema in Syria.

KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.