American textile recycling specialist Circ has entered into a strategic partnership with Indian textile conglomerate Arvind Limited. Under the agreement, Arvind has committed to integrating Circ’s recycled materials into its product portfolio for the next five years, providing a major boost to Circ as it scales its operations.
Circ employs a patented hydrothermal process that uses heat and pressure with minimal chemicals to separate and recover polyester and cotton from polycotton blends — the most common fabric mix used in global apparel manufacturing.
Arvind’s commitment will see recycled polyesters and cellulosic fibres incorporated into its output. The Indian group supplies textiles for leading global brands including U.S. Polo Assn., Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, Izod and Hanes.
Circ’s chief executive, Peter Majeranowski, said the agreement marked “a new chapter in the textile industry, where scale and sustainability go hand in hand”. He noted that by collaborating with one of the world’s largest textile manufacturers, Circ would be able to make recycled fibres available to a wider range of fashion brands and accelerate progress towards large-scale circularity.
The move comes as Circ prepares for the deployment of a €450 million polycotton recycling unit in Saint-Avold, France, planned for 2028. Earlier this year, the company also joined Swedish firms Circulose and Syre, and Turkey’s Re\&Up, in forming the T2T Alliance to represent textile recyclers in discussions with European policymakers.
