#Recycling / Circular Economy

2023-03-02

Rieter and Recover: Cooperation in the field of recycling

International governments and downstream consumers call for greater cooperation in the textile industry for a circular economy. It is becoming more significant to make a combined effort with other major stakeholders in different areas to respond to the increasing demand for transition.

Rieter and Recover agreed to join hands for technological advancements and research projects in the field of recycling. Both parties will work together to conduct trials and initiatives with various recycled raw materials and blends to build a solid foundation for textile circularity.

Rieter has high competence in customized spinning systems for staple fibers including recycled materials and Recover has developed its expertise in processing and applying high-quality recycled fibers. Both parties are expected to create synergies by improving the processing of pre-and post-consumer recycling materials.

In a trial, high-quality yarn was produced with recycled material from Recover with Rieter ring spinning machines. © 2023 Rieter

Recover™ and Rieter partner to reshape sustainable textiles

This joint cooperation is betting on ambitious research that hopes to increase the availability, applicability and use of recycled textiles as raw materials.

Agents of change: investing in the future of recycled fibers

Potential new blends

Rieter and Recover™ have joined hands to develop technological advancements and research projects in the field of recycling. Both parties are working together to conduct trials and initiatives with various recycled raw materials and blends to build a solid foundation for textile circularity.

Specifically, they are working to amplify Recover's catalogue of blends, Recover announced in the press release. The challenges lie in mechanically recycling diverse fabrics without sacrificing the integrity of the resulting fiber.

New horizons for post-consumer textile waste

Most of the textile waste Recover currently recycles is either post-industrial or pre-consumer as both are easier to sort – by composition and by color. Post-consumer waste, on the other hand, is more challenging as pieces’ composition varies widely (from 100% cotton to cotton/polyester blends and rayon).

With Rieter, Recover hopes to change that. They’re working side by side to be able to scale the recycling of post-consumer textiles and still produce the highest-quality recycled fiber.

Rieter has high competence in customized spinning systems for staple fibers including recycled materials and Recover™ has developed its expertise in processing and applying high-quality recycled fibers. Both parties are expected to create synergies by improving the processing of pre-and post-consumer recycling materials and to extending the scope of use of recycled fibers with improved processes and machines.

Improved traceability

Rieter and Recover™ are collaborating with 3rd parties such as universities to verify how much recycled fiber is left in the yarn when applying new processes. This collaboration is expected to help the textile industry enhance the competence of verifying real recycled material usage.

Promising alliances for a promising future

"We’re excited to see where this cooperative research takes us. We’re thrilled to continue working alongside Rieter as we work towards a circular textiles future", Recover said in a statement.

Rieter and partners launch Recycling Powerhouse for industrial-scale textile recycling

Recycling Powerhouse Ltd. was established in July 2026 to industrialize, standardize and scale textile recycling. Based in Switzerland, the venture will operate a franchise-driven business model that enables the production of high-quality, certified recycled yarns. The project is supported by the following partners: Rieter Group, the world’s leading system supplier for natural and man-made fibers, Säntis Textiles, a Swiss textile engineering company, and Valvan, a Belgian sorting technology company. The first blueprint franchise operation is scheduled to launch early 2027 in partnership with Suhail Industrial Holding Group in Qatar.

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.

"We will become a recycling powerhouse"

The textile industry is now in its fourth consecutive year of crisis, while automation, artificial intelligence and recycling are reshaping the rules of the game. In this interview, Rieter CEO Thomas Oetterli discusses the first signs of a market recovery, reflects on his first three years at the helm of the company, explains the integration of Barmag, outlines Rieter’s vision of the fully automated spinning mill and highlights the strategic importance of recycling. In doing so, he explains why the new Rieter Group aims to play a leading role in transforming the textile value chain into a circular economy.

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

RE&UP Recycling Technologies’ Next-Gen Cotton powers a new collection from Zalando’s private labels, marking a step forward in bringing textile-to-textile recycled fibers into commercial fashion production. Launching on Zalando in August, the collection comprises five t-shirts across YOURTURN by Zalando and Even&Odd by Zalando, made from a circular-knit fabric blending 80% organic cotton with 20% RE&UP Next-Gen Cotton — textile-to-textile recycled fiber produced from textile waste. This is the first time RE&UP's recycled fibers feature in Zalando's private label assortment.

Driving circularity with Uster Recycled Fiber Matrix

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.

Heberlein reinforces its commitment to the Chinese market

Heberlein, globally recognised as a leading provider of air interlacing and air texturing jets for synthetic filament yarns, is consolidating its success in the Chinese market with its APh- and APe-series for DTY applications. Particularly in the field of Air Covering, Heberlein technologies combine excellent quality with significant savings in compressed-air consumption. A new service hub in Shengze City underlines the company’s long-term commitment in the Chinese market.