#Recycling / Circular Economy

2022-11-17

Updated Cradle to Cradle Certified® Version 3.1 to Version 4.0 transition policy

This transition policy applies to both Cradle to Cradle Certified® certifications and C2C Certified Material Health Certificates™.

Products currently certified to Version 3.1:

Companies may apply for certification to Version 4.0 for products certified to Version 3.1 as of 1 July 2021 (the Version 4.0 Effective Date). All Version 4.0 certifications will be valid for three years.

In addition to any previous recertifications, products may be recertified to Version 3.1 one additional time until 31 December 2024. Assessment summary forms for these Version 3.1 recertifications will be accepted until 31 December 2024. Products must then be recertified to Version 4.0 when the Version 3.1 certification expires.

All Version 3.1 certifications will be valid for two years. Certifications previously issued in 2022 for less than two years will be extended to allow for a two-year certification period.

It will not be permitted to recertify products ineligible for Version 4.0 certification to Version 3.1 unless it is possible to demonstrate a commitment to meet the Version 4.0 requirements within a specified timeframe.

The current list of products ineligible for Version 4.0 certification can be found in Section 2 of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard Version 4.0 User Guidance.

https://www.c2ccertified.org/resources/detail/version-4_0-user-guidance

New product certifications for Version 3.1 certification holders:

Companies may apply for product certification to Version 4.0 beginning 1 July 2021 (the Version 4.0 Effective Date). All Version 4.0 certifications will be valid for three years.

Applications and assessment summary forms for new product certifications to Version 3.1 will be accepted from existing Version 3.1 certification holders until 31 December 2023. All Version 3.1 certifications will be valid for two years. Applications and assessment summary forms received after 31 December 2023 will be required to certify to Version 4.0.

Exception: Products may be added to an existing Version 3.1 certification (in accordance with the product grouping policy) after the new product application deadline (31 December 2023) and through 31 December 2024.

It will not be permitted to certify products ineligible for Version 4.0 certification to Version 3.1 unless it is possible to demonstrate a commitment to meet the Version 4.0 requirements within a certain timeframe.

New product certifications for new certification holders:

Companies applying for product certification for the first time are required to certify to Version 4.0. All Version 4.0 certifications will be valid for three years. Applications and assessment summary forms for new product certifications to Version 3.1 will not be accepted from new certification holders.

For more information about Cradle to Cradle Certified® Version 4.0, click here:

https://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/cradle-to-cradle-certified-version-4

“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.

20 Start-Ups selected for CEMATEX Start-Up Grant at ITMA 2027

CEMATEX has selected 20 emerging start-ups from nine countries to receive the CEMATEX Start-Up Grant and showcase their innovations at Start-Up Valley during ITMA 2027 in Hanover. Their participation will be fully funded by CEMATEX, giving promising early-stage companies access to the world’s leading textile and garment technology platform.

Moving Advanced Recycling from Innovation to Implementation

The Advanced Recycling Conference 2026 explores technologies, markets, financing and scale-up of innovative recycling solutions for waste streams including mixed plastic waste, textiles and PVC. Europe’s chemical and materials sector faces growing pressure to close carbon loops, strengthen raw-material safety and resilience and meet increasingly ambitious EU recycling targets. Against this backdrop, the Advanced Recycling Conference (ARC) will bring together industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, innovators and policy-makers on 17–18 November 2026 in Cologne, Germany.

KARL MAYER invites the Global Textile Industry to celebrate its 90th anniversary at its German Headquarters in 2027

KARL MAYER is turning its anniversary year 2027 into a milestone for the textile sector. To mark its 90th anniversary, the industry leader is inviting customers, partners, and experts from around the world to a unique event series in September aimed at pushing boundaries, unlocking new opportunities, and jointly setting the course for a new era in textiles – just as KARL MAYER has done throughout its history. The company’s headquarters in Obertshausen, near Frankfurt, is the place to be.

ITMF names three winners of the Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026

Three projects from the UK, Korea and China have been selected as winners of the ITMF Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026. The projects address textile-to-textile recycling, chemical recycling for automotive textiles and a regenerative approach combining silk production with ecological restoration.

Durak Maxibalance thread supports users’ movement and balance comfort

Durak Tekstil, a leading brand in its industry, has developed Durak Maxibalance, a new product engineered with bio-ceramic and FAR IR technology. Ushering in a new era for sportswear, activewear, and medical textiles, this technology offers features designed to support balance and movement comfort by reflecting the energy absorbed from the body back into it.

Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 draws to a close, weaving sustainable innovation into global sourcing

Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 concluded with approximately 600 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions, connecting with nearly 22,000 visitors from 110 represented markets, bringing the textile industry’s evolving material agenda into sharper focus. Held alongside Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition, CHIC and PH Value, the fair connected upstream fibre and yarn innovation with fabric development, garment production and fashion-market demand.