#Recycling / Circular Economy

2023-06-01

Introducing new swimwear fabric for circularity

Warp knitting machine processing T400 © 2023 KARL MAYER

Decathlon, in collaboration with the KARL MAYER GROUP and The LYCRA Company, has developed a swimsuit that follows a circular process within textile recycling.

The protection of our natural environment increasingly requires new concepts to meet the demands of consumption and sustainability in equal measure.

Project for textile-to-textile recycling by Decathlon, the KARL MAYER GROUP and The LYCRA Company © 2023 KARL MAYER

With the "Aqua Vision" project, sports brand manufacturer Decathlon has rethought the issue of recycling. The project focused on the development of a sportswear item that can be reused within the clothing sector, i.e., can be kept in circulation, and is also long-lasting.

"In practice, our goal was to be able to make a swimsuit from a swimsuit again," says Nathalie Bourdon, Offer Manager at Decathlon.

The challenge was to do this without using elastane in the production process. The filament with high polyurethane content ensures an excellent fit but causes problems in the recycling process. To master this challenge, Decathlon sought support from fiber manufacturer The LYCRA Company and textile machine specialist KARL MAYER GROUP.

Elasticity without elastane

The LYCRA Company provided the LYCRA® T400® EcoMade yarn. The stretch solution consists of 68% sustainable resources, with 50% of the content coming from recycled plastic and 18% from bio-based resources. Instead of using elastane, the LYCRA® T400® EcoMade fiber, in combination with a smart construction, provides the necessary stretch. LYCRA® T400® EcoMade fiber consists of two components, each of which shrink differently under heat during finishing. The result of this differential shrinkage is durable elasticity for a long-lasting fit. In addition, the yarn innovation offers another performance feature that is essential for swimwear: LYCRA® T400® EcoMade fiber is resistant to chlorine for over 500 hours, making it much more durable than conventional variants.

“At The LYCRA Company, sustainable innovation is at the heart of our vision, and we are proud to partner with Decathlon and KARL MAYER to produce a sustainably sourced, chlorine and wear durable swimsuit with no performance compromises which can be practically recycled at end of life”, said Arnaud Ruffin, The LYCRA Company’s Vice President for brands and retail.

Processing into high-quality warp knitted fabrics

When processed into a smooth warp knit, LYCRA® T400® EcoMade fiber can fully realize its performance potentials. A two-bar warp knitting machine in gauge E 32 from KARL MAYER was used to produce the textile for the sustainable swimsuit. The renowned textile machinery manufacturer also provided support in the form of its know-how on a technical level.

"We tested whether the sustainable yarn behaves differently during processing than conventional variants. The tests were consistently positive. There were no losses in quality or efficiency," explains Michael Kieren from the New Business Development team at the KARL MAYER GROUP.

Sample presentation at ITMA 2023

Decathlon produced a swimsuit from a new fabric having supple elastic properties which can be recycled back into yarns for new apparel through the stages of collection, shredding, melting, pellet production and spinning. An example, recycled from a swimwear after its first cycle of use, will be presented by the KARL MAYER Group at ITMA, from June 8 to 14, 2023, in Fiera Milano on its stand in Hall 4 B119. The exhibition under the motto "Rethink. Reduce. Reuse - Close the loop" shows how waste and resources can be saved by consistently recycling materials. Recycling within the textile sector also ensures independence from other sources of raw materials for reprocessing.

However, in textile-to-textile recycling, coloration must be taken into account as early as the design stage, says Michael Kieren. Light colours are generally easier to recycle. To compensate for colour differences, the fabric becomes darker with each recycling process, he said.

New business momentum for the Turkish warp knitting industry

Warp knitting companies can look forward to new opportunities for their business development when they visit the KARL MAYER stand at ITM. At the important trade fair in Istanbul, the industry leader will be presenting selected solutions to support customers in a market that is as important as it is difficult. The focus will be on flexibility and speed.

BB Engineering unveils new, patented “Val-uePack” spin pack at ITM

At the upcoming ITM in Istanbul, taking place June 9–13 at the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center in Hall 7, Booth 702B, BB Engineering will once again be represented at a joint booth with its parent company, Barmag, and its representative, Tekstil Servis. The German machine manufacturer will show-case its expertise in man-made fiber and recycling technology, presenting its entire product portfolio, which includes compo-nents such as extruders and filters, as well as complete sys-tems for spinning synthetic fibers, air-texturing, and PET recy-cling.

Project REWEAR investigates diverse economies of rewear as a global practice of circularity

Every year, European households discard millions of tonnes of clothing. Around a quarter of what gets separately collected is exported, much of it classified as rewearable. A significant share ends up in markets like Kantamanto in Accra, Ghana, where an estimated 15 million garments arrive every week. New research published today reveals what happens when that clothing arrives.

RE&UP contributes to Global Fashion Summit 2026 circularity discussion

RE&UP contributed to the global conversation on textile circularity at Global Fashion Summit 2026 in Copenhagen, where Fatih Konukoğlu, Chairman of RE&UP and Vice Chairman of Sanko Holding, took part in both the keynote session “The New Rules” and the panel discussion “A Reckoning and Renewal for Circular Horizons”, alongside leaders from H&M Group, Looper Textile Co. and Sourcing Journal.

Europe’s textile future at a turning point: New 2030 Circularity Blueprint aims to scale recycling and unlock investment opportunities

The EU textile system is at a critical crossroads. Today, less than 1% of discarded garments are recycled into new garments, despite EU-wide obligations for separate collection. In response, Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) is launching the 2030 Circularity Blueprint, in partnership with ReHubs. This ambitious initiative is designed to support the transformation of the EU textile ecosystem to advance textile-to-textile recycling and drive the transition to a circular economy.

Seamless Splicer to headline Mesdan S.p.A. presentation at ITM 2026

MESDAN S.p.A. will once again participate in ITM 2026, Turkey’s most important textile trade fair. The Italy-based leading manufacturer of yarn joining solutions and textile testing equipment,will be exhibiting at the booth of their local agent for the spinning, SARTEKS MAKINA at Hall 7, Stand 701A.

Elastic yarns to become more recyclable and environmentally friendly in future

On 29 April 2026, ITA student Tobias Dickmeiß was awarded a sponsorship prize by the Wilhelm Lorch-Stiftung for his innovative approach, to replacing conventional elastane with elastic yarns made from thermoplastic copolyester elastomers (TPC). Thanks to their thermoplastic nature and compatibility with typical polyesters used in the textile industry, elastic TPC yarns offer improved recyclability. Furthermore, the use of the melt-spinning process in yarn production eliminates the need for solvents that are harmful to the environment and human health.

HIGHTEX 2026 technical textile and nonwoven industry to gather in Istanbul

Between 9–13 June 2026, the HIGHTEX 2026 exhibition, held at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center in Istanbul and organized concurrently with ITM 2026, is preparing to become one of the most significant global gatherings of the technical textiles and nonwoven industry. Bringing together more than 1,000 companies and agency representatives from 55 countries, the event will unite the latest technologies, innovative solutions, and investment opportunities within a single platform.