Top apparel brands are rapidly promoting product innovation and other initiatives that promote recycling and circularity in response to the strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles.
The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles – aims to ensure that from 2030 textile products entering the g EU market are durable and recyclable. Moreover, the EU strategy will permit apparel that is free from hazardous substances. Preferably, textile products are produced as much as possible from recycled fibers.
The strategy that comes into force in 2030 aims to address the huge waste created due to the increasing demand for fast fashion. The EU expects that apparel brands would reduce the number of collections they launch each year. The strategy also expects that the apparel producers will minimize the carbon footprint of fast fashion.
Most of the brands catering to the EU market are supporting the g production of cellulosic fibers developed from textile waste. A Swedish company based in Stockholm has established a facility to produce Circulose which at is pulp produced from cotton-rich textile waste. This pulp can be converted into new viscose fibers and filaments.
Additionally, a biotechnology company based in Finland is converting an inactive mill into a facility for producing Infinna – a premium textile fiber that is made using cellulose-based raw materials.
The VF Corporation through its subsidiary Napapijri – has made strenuous efforts to secure Cradle to Cradle Gold certification for its outdoor jackets, which are made using 100% mono-materials. Hugo Boss, another prominent brand is partnering with a textile chemicals company HeiQ for the supply of a cellulosic filament yarn AeoniQ that is recyclable and produced by using a closed-loop process.
Euratex the European Apparel and Textile Federation is in the process of establishing 150-250 dedicated new recycling centers in Europe in the next few years. These fiber recycling initiatives are likely to reduce the use of virgin fibers. European organizations and authorities are working to remove the bottlenecks faced by circular textile operators.
