Primark teams up with Circ to introduce recycled polyester into clothing
Primark has partnered with textile-to-textile recycling firm Circ to introduce recycled polyester made from textile waste into Primark clothing.
The move forms part of Primark’s efforts to scale the use of circular materials and reduce reliance on virgin polyester in its clothes.
Subscribe to TRBThe recycled polyester supplied under this agreement will be produced at Circ’s commercial facility, which will source textile feedstock globally, including post-consumer and post-industrial waste. Global sourcing will happen from several locations, including the valorisation of European textile waste.
Through its Primark Cares strategy, Primark has been embedding circular design principles into product development and helping customers extend the life of their clothes through reuse and repair initiatives.
Lynne Walker, director of Primark Cares, said: “We launched Primark Cares with a focus on improving the quality and longevity of our clothing, and in the process show that clothes made to last longer don’t have to come at a higher price.
“Since then, we’ve delivered tangible progress, including increasing the use of recycled fibres, introducing products designed to be recycled and enhancing traceability across our supply chain.
“This partnership is an important milestone in accelerating our ambitions to further embed circularity in our business and help scale innovative textile-to-textile recycling solutions that could play a transformational role in the future of fashion.”
Peter Majeranowski, chief executive of Circ, said: “This partnership with Primark represents exactly the kind of long-term commercial commitment needed to move textile-to-textile recycling from innovation to industry standard.
“When a global fashion retailer commits to integrating recycled materials into future collections, it sends a powerful signal across the industry: the demand is here, the materials are ready, and the opportunity to scale circular material supply chains is real.”
Circ’s patented technology can recycle polycotton blended textiles, one of the fashion industry’s most widely used and historically difficult-to-recycle material streams. It works by separating and recovering both polyester and cellulose from blended textile waste, to create high-quality materials that can be reintroduced into fashion supply chains.
