A new cross-sector alliance has emerged in the UK apparel retail and charitable recycling sectors. M&S, New Look, Sainsbury's-owned Tu Clothing, Oxfam, and large-scale polymer recycling company Circle-8 have jointly launched a circular textile project called "The Circuit," aiming to build an industrial-scale fibre-to-fibre recycling value chain for waste clothing generated in the UK.

According to data cited by the initiators, approximately 1.4 million tonnes of post-consumer textiles were generated in the UK in 2024, with nearly half being waste fabric that can no longer be worn. The group points out that while demand for recycled textile raw materials is rising, the system for converting post-consumer old clothing into raw materials is still in its infancy, and The Circuit is designed to fill this gap.

Unlike traditional single-point recycling, The Circuit connects the entire chain—retail brands, textile recyclers, automated sorting, regeneration companies, and manufacturers all participate, with the aim of achieving scale, stability, and commercial viability, enabling future garment-to-garment recycling to truly reach industrial scale. The project advances in phases, with the first phase focusing on testing, experience accumulation, and building an operational framework.

The first phase is scheduled to launch in January 2027 at Oxfam's site in Batley, Yorkshire. The core tasks of this phase include: automated sorting of textiles; establishing reporting mechanisms to enhance traceability; identifying viable directions for circular materials; building partnerships with regeneration companies; and exploring operational models that can support subsequent expansion. Oxfam is responsible for distinguishing between rewearable and non-rewearable textiles and operating automated sorting equipment, drawing on its deep experience in old clothing collection and reuse.

Brands have each expressed their views. New Look CEO Lynda Petherick stated that circular fashion requires collaboration across the entire value chain, and The Circuit gives retailers the opportunity to participate in building a system that turns non-rewearable old clothing into future raw materials. Katharine Beacham, Head of Sustainability and Materials for M&S Fashion, Home and Beauty, mentioned the company's "Plan A for Another Life" program, which aims to give 5 million items a second life through rewear, repair, resale, and recycling by 2030, while acknowledging that better material recycling pathways are still lacking after textiles reach end of life. Ben Smith, Managing Director of Sainsbury's-owned Tu Clothing, said joining the project is about learning and testing practical solutions to help shape the circular textile economy.

Source: New Look, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Oxfam link with Circle-8 to cut textile waste · Originally published 2026-09-24