#Recycling / Circular Economy

2022-12-08

A new 100% recycled fabric developed through the circular textile supply chain

TEXAID, a leading company in the collecting, sorting, reselling and recycling of post-consumer textile waste, included Marchi & Fildi in an international team with several companies active at different stages of the circular textile production chain with the goal to develop a fabric representing a model of development that could be repeatable also for different projects.

Marchi & Fildi, through its know-how about the recycling of fibers and several experiences with the ECOTEC® process in this field, has participated in several projects led by TEXAID, to provide important added value to the development of a specific supply chain dedicated to textile recycling. For decades, Texaid has been leading with textile waste. In particular, they are protagonist of the current discussion, focused on the importance of moving from the traditional management of post-consumer textile waste.

This specific project for the development of a “textile-to-textile” model has been based on post- consumer white cotton, collected and sorted by Texaid in Germany and Switzerland. Marchi & Fildi evaluated the possibility of developing a 100% recycled yarn for weaving, with 50% of post consumer recycled cotton by TEXAID blended with 50% with REPREVE® Our Ocean™, a premium collection of recycled performance fiber sourced from plastic bottles at high risk of entering the ocean. REPREVE® Our Ocean™ is manufactured by UNIFI, an industry innovator and global textile solutions provider.

This special blend has been developed and produced with the ECOTEC® technology, in the Biella facility of the Group, in line with the main mission of the ECOTEC® brand: giving a second life to material that otherwhise would be treated as waste. The yarn has been woven into a fabric by Tessitura Casoni.T.F.C., which is also located in the Biella area.

The result of this international supply chain represents the possibility to create high added value through the collaboration of strong and specialized partnership networks, together with the increased focus of European companies on the topic of circular economy, both for research and development and for production.

“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.”

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RE&UP’s Next-Gen Cotton fibers power Zalando private label t-shirt collection crafted from innovative recycled textiles

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The textile industry’s commitment to circularity continues to accelerate, and mechanical recycling is viewed as a targeted approach to cutting textile waste and its environmental impact. At the forefront of this drive, Uster has developed the Recycled Fiber Matrix, a two-dimensional assessment of mechanically recycled fibers to guide optimum processing and end-uses.

Novel flame-retardant and recyclable fiber-reinforced composite

Airplanes and passenger trains must meet strict safety requirements, including fire safety standards. This calls for materials that are flame-retardant, lightweight, robust, and scalable. Empa researchers, in collaboration with their industry partner Elantas, have now succeeded for the first time in making such a material – a composite – fully recyclable.

Archroma wins ICIS Innovation Award for sulfur dye breakthrough

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, has won a coveted 2026 ICIS Innovation Award for Best Product Innovation from a Large Company for FiberColors®. These high-performance sulfur dyes are synthesized from pre-consumer wool waste, reducing industry reliance on petroleum-based inputs while contributing to the circular economy by upcycling unwanted wool that farmers would otherwise pay to dispose of.

YDC 2026 names winners in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest 2026 (YDC) has named its winners at the conclusion of CENTRESTAGE in Hong Kong. Ten emerging local designers presented collections inspired by personal experiences and emotions, translating their ideas through distinctive tailoring, materials and craftsmanship.