#Recycling / Circular Economy

2022-01-06

Successful industrial scale viscose filament yarn production from 100 percent Circulose®

In collaboration with the leading Chinese viscose filament yarn producer Yibin Hiest Fiber Limited Corporation, Renewcell has successfully used 100 percent Circulose® dissolving pulp in industrial scale viscose filament yarn production. While viscose staple fibers made with Circulose® have been commercially available since 2019, the filament development opens up additional product segments for 100 percent Circulose® fibers in activewear, as a substitute for polyester filament, and in luxury as a substitute for silk.

Yibin Hiest Fiber Limited Corporation (‘Yibin’), a CanopyStyle “Green Shirt” ranked viscose staple fiber and viscose filament yarn producer based in China, has verified Circulose® pulp for use at a 100 percent concentration in industrial scale viscose filament yarn production. The quality of the yarn produced from 100 percent Circulose® by Yibin in December 2021 exceeds “Superior Grade” according to Chinese National Standards of GB/T 13758-2008. This marks the first known industrial scale production of virgin quality viscose filament yarn made from 100 percent recycled textiles. The new commercial partnership with Yibin has been facilitated by Renewcell’s exclusive trading partner Ekman Group.

Patrik Lundström, CEO Renewcell — Photo: Alexander Donka

"Our partnership with Renewcell and Ekman is an exciting and giant step,” commented Deng Min, President of Yibin Grace Group Co. Ltd. and Yibin Hiest Fiber Limited Corporation. “Circulose® filament yarn made from 100% recycled textile waste is a significant addition to our Made in Green product portfolio. There is a clearly increasing consciousness for more sustainable material in textile industry. I am convinced that by combining our expertise and knowledge, we will reduce carbon footprint and accelerate progress towards our ambitious goal of making fashion a closed loop.”

The development follows on the successful lab scale production of 100 percent Circulose® filament yarn in collaboration with the German research institute Fraunhofer in 2020.

100 percent Circulose® viscose filament yarn spools — Photo: Yibin Hiest Fiber Limited Corporation

“I am delighted to expand the commercial Circulose® portfolio to include filament yarn. I am also impressed by Yibin’s innovation capacity and look forward to deepening our collaboration and start shipping Circulose® filament yarn to brand partners in 2022. In Renewcell’s endeavor to make fashion circular, we will keep working together with leading partners to prove the usefulness of Circulose® in different textile applications” comments Patrik Lundström, CEO of Renewcell.

100 percent Circulose® viscose filament yarn — Photo: Yibin Hiest Fiber Limited Corporation

“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.

Managed workwear services are providing a blueprint for the circular textile economy

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.

Eco-design as the foundation of circular textiles

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 secures growth equity investment from Fullerton Carbon Action Fund

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.

PERFORMANCE DAYS announces new focus topic & forums for October 2026

With its upcoming October 13–14, 2026 edition, PERFORMANCE DAYS is placing the spotlight on one of the textile industry’s most important transformations: “Bio-Based Materials – From Fiber to Fabric”, a two-part Focus Topic exploring the future of bio-based innovation across the textile value chain. Part 1, presented in October 2026, will focus on fibers and next-generation material developments, while Part 2 at the March 2027 edition will shift the perspective toward dyeing, finishing, additives, and processing technologies.

Febratex 2026 to be the largest edition of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas with 10 exhibition halls

Febratex 2026 will be the largest edition in the history of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas. Dedicated to the textile and apparel manufacturing industries, the event will take place from August 18–21, 2026, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, with a strong focus on technology, sustainability, and business generation.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues field trip brings international stakeholders closer to Brazil’s cotton production chain

How do you build trust across the global textile value chain? By opening the farm gates. This is the principle behind the Cotton Brazil Dialogues. At the end of July, the programme welcomed its first group of international participants for a five-day immersion into Brazilian cotton production, combining field visits with technical workshops to showcase the quality, sustainability, innovation and traceability behind one of the world’s leading cotton origins.