H&M and PUMA partner in textile recycling project
Fashion retailer H&M and sports retailer PUMA, part of the Kering group, have partnered with textile recycling company Worn Again to establish the commercial viability of bringing about a ‘closed loop’ textile recycling process.
London-based Worn Again currently utilises chemical recycling technology to separate and extract polyester and cellulose from old or end-of-life clothing and textiles, which can be recaptured and made into new fabrics. It is thought that this ‘first of its kind’ technology can deliver a circular resource model for textiles, and reduce the amount of clothing sent to landfill.
H&M and PUMA have announced that they are now working with the reprocessor to establish whether the technology is commercially viable. If found to be so, it is hoped the two brands would use the reclaimed raw materials to create new clothes and textiles, thus reducing their environmental impact by reducing reliance on polyester derived from oil.
‘Creating fashion in a circular model’
Cyndi Rhoades, CEO of Worn Again, commented: “Our technology is at the heart of a global vision which will engage all brands, textile recyclers, suppliers and consumers, in a unified ambition to keep clothing already in circulation out of landfill, and as part of a global pool of resources to be used time and time again.”
Anna Gedda, Head of Sustainability at H&M, said that the company was “excited to be part of this project”, adding: ”In the long-run this can change the way fashion is made and massively reduce the need for extracting virgin resources from our planet. Furthermore, it brings us closer to our goal of creating fashion in a circular model.”
Speaking on behalf of PUMA, Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of international institutional affairs at Kering, stated that the partnership is a “great example” of the innovation needed to solve “global environmental challenges” and could “ deliver a solution that will be fundamental in eradicating textile waste while simultaneously offering a new type of sustainable raw material”.
Find out more about Worn Again.
