Kering and Johnstons of Elgin, with dye and chemical company DyStar are collaborating on Spiber’s ‘Biosphere Circulation Project’ to convert end-of-life textiles and agricultural byproducts into new materials.
The program will require the companies to provide sample materials made up of particular fibres treated with important kinds of chemical compounds for textiles for Spiber’s laboratory testing. The Japanese biotechnology start-up will then investigate how different compounds, such as finishing agents and colorants, influence the change of cellulose and protein-based substances into nutrients that may be employed in Spiber’s fermentation process, such as sugars and amino acids.
The primary goal of this project is to accelerate the development of fully elliptical textiles that can be regenerated on a large scale into Spiber’s creative Brewed Protein materials derived from plant-based sugars using microbial fermentation methods at the end of their lifecycle.
Spiber plans to gather the results of its experiments into an archive that will show the effectiveness of various materials when combined with textile chemicals to convert into nutrition for fermentation. This database will be used as a resource by the industry for building circularity-compliant products and solutions, such as Spiber’s biosphere circulating system in the future.
Christian Tubito, director of Kering Material Innovation Lab, said, “To attain a more circular textile sector, multiple multilayered methods are required, as well as verifying and deploying diverse solutions.
“The ‘Biosphere Circulation Project’ is a bold and difficult endeavor that will pave the way for new textile recycling methods. Recycling can evolve from a last resort to a new potential option for discarded textile materials.”
Inka Apter, director of material conservation and authenticity at Eileen Fisher Inc., stated, “We need all of the tools in our toolbox to move our sector ahead towards an economy that is circular for textiles.”
“The biosphere circulation project investigates the fundamental concepts of circularity at the building block level of our materials, such as dyes and finishes. Eileen Fisher Inc. is pleased to support this novel yet necessary approach to circularity. Let us work together to address these difficulties!”
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
