#Recycling / Circular Economy

2023-09-14

Goodwill Industries and Accelerating Circularity test textile-to-textile feedstock hubs with generous grant from the Walmart Foundation

The Walmart Foundation has granted $1.2 million to support Goodwill Industries International Inc. and Accelerating Circularity to develop skills, systems, and infrastructure at participating Goodwill organizations to transform unsellable textile donations into recycling feedstock. This transformation is critical to the circular textile economy.

The partnership with Goodwill is intended to develop skills, systems, and infrastructure at local Goodwill

organizations to transform unsellable textile donations into recycling feedstock. Participating local Goodwill organizations are using the grant funding to learn to produce post-consumer textile feedstock that meets recyclers' specifications and to educate and train staff on sorting and feedstock preparation processes. 25 local Goodwill organizations are involved in this project, with leadership from Goodwill Industries of Tenneva Area, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, Goodwill Industries of Ontario Great Lakes, and Goodwill Industries of West Michigan. The local Goodwill organizations are modeling and testing regional textile collaboration hubs in partnership that can be replicated across the Goodwill member network, and adopted by other social enterprises for the benefit of their constituents and the advancement of textile circularity.

“This initiative with Goodwill Industries is an example of Accelerating Circularity’s unique role in creating new connections to mainstream the adoption of post-consumer textiles as raw materials,” said Sarah Coulter, Director of Operations and Special Projects for Accelerating Circularity “Accelerating Circularity has lead the design and implementation of this program, providing subject matter expertise, program management, relationship building, and training and tools development at the participating Goodwill locations.”

“We see an opportunity to advance our mission by supporting Goodwill’s effort to transform textiles destined for salvage into higher-value recycling feedstocks by sorting to spec, removing trims and other irritants, and aggregating sufficient volumes to support full commercialization of textile-to-textile systems,” shared Karla Magruder, President and Founder of Accelerating Circularity.

“Goodwill is focused on developing solutions for textiles that are scalable, circular, and traceable, and we see textile-to-textile recycling as a key pathway for donations that are unwearable and at their end of life. Establishing regional Goodwill collaborations for textile circularity supports Goodwill’s role as a critical player in the circular economy and aligns with our organizational sustainability strategy,” shared Brittany Dickinson, Director of Sustainability at Goodwill Industries International.

“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.

Industrial scale meets verified governance: RE&UP is now B Corp™ certified

RE&UP, the circular-tech transforming global textile waste into high-volume Next-Gen materials, has officially become a Certified B Corporation™. The milestone establishes the industrial recycler among a select group of manufacturing infrastructure providers verified as meeting B Lab Standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.