#Recycling / Circular Economy

2020-10-08

Indorama Ventures joins the World Economic Forum’s global plastic action partnership

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) today announced that it has joined the World Economic Forum’s Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP). The global multi-stakeholder partnership aims to reduce plastic leakage into the environment and is driving the transition to a circular economy for plastics. This partnership is aligned with Indorama Ventures 2019 commitment to increase recycled content volumes of PET by at least 750,000 tonnes, pledging US$ 1.5 billion towards achieving this target by 2025.

Mr. Yashovardhan LOHIA, Chief Sustainability Officer, Indorama Ventures said, “We are proud to join the World Economic Forum’s Global Plastic Action Partnership. By joining GPAP we will advance our shared goal of ending PET plastic waste. Harnessing the convening power of the World Economic Forum, GPAP is bringing together governments, businesses, and civil society to forge circular solutions – at both the global and national levels. Our recycling facilities across the world can close the loop and deliver a circular economy for PET plastic.”

“We produce a unique type of recyclable plastic called PET. PET is most commonly used plastic for beverage bottles and is the most collected and recycled plastic packaging in the world. It is important for us to offer added value to our customers with sustainable recycled products.

“In March this year, we recycled our 50 billionth PET bottle since we started in 2011. We want to go further because we know PET is fully recyclable, by 2025 we aim to recycle 50 billion bottles a year. To achieve this, we have committed up to USD 1.5 billion to expand the recycling infrastructure the world needs. The GPAP community is championing this shift to a circular economy and helping the world to understand the benefits of a closed-loop approach.”

“Joining GPAP is a clear statement of Indorama Ventures’ commitment to sustainability and advancing the circular economy,” said Mr. Kristin HUGHES, GPAP Director and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum. “Their global presence, fully integrated model and decades of recycling know-how means they are uniquely placed to close the loop for PET plastic.

“We look forward to working with Indorama Ventures and learning from their experience with collection systems around the world. Together we can drive high-potential solutions to improve collection, ensuring plastic never ends up as waste.”

“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.