UK value fashion retailer Primark has signed a multi-year offtake agreement with textile-to-textile recycling company Circ to introduce recycled polyester made from textile waste into its clothing products starting in 2029. This is Primark's first multi-year offtake agreement with a textile waste recycling company, with the goal of scaling up the use of circular materials and reducing reliance on virgin polyester.

Key Points

  • Primark signed a multi-year offtake agreement with Circ to use recycled polyester in clothing from 2029.
  • Circ's planned commercial plant will source post-consumer and post-industrial textile waste globally, with a focus on preserving the value of European textile waste.
  • Circ's technology can process polycotton blends, separating and recycling polyester and cellulose and reintroducing them into the fashion supply chain.

Under the agreement, the recycled polyester will be produced at Circ's planned commercial plant, with feedstock sourced globally, covering both post-consumer and post-industrial textile waste, and with an emphasis on preserving the value of European textile waste. Circ's technology specifically targets polycotton blended fabrics, capable of separating and recycling polyester and cellulose from textile waste so that both material streams can re-enter the apparel supply chain.

Circ CEO Peter Majeranowski said in a statement that this partnership represents exactly the kind of long-term commercial commitment needed to move textile waste recycling from innovation to industry standard. He said that a global fashion retailer committing to integrate recycled materials in future collections sends a strong signal to the entire industry: demand already exists, materials are already available, and the opportunity to scale circular material supply chains is real.

The partnership builds on Primark's Primark Cares strategy. The strategy focuses on extending the life of clothing and materials and reducing waste, through approaches including circular design principles, the Circular Product Standard, and initiatives supporting clothing reuse and repair.

Lynne Walker, Head of Primark Cares, added that when Primark Cares was launched, the focus was on improving clothing quality and durability and proving that more durable clothing does not necessarily mean a higher price; since then the company has made tangible progress, including increasing the share of recycled fibers, launching products designed for recycling, and enhancing supply chain traceability. She called this partnership a milestone in accelerating its circularity goals, helping to scale innovative textile waste recycling solutions.

For the global used clothing and textile recycling industry, the signal significance of this agreement lies in the fact that a brand is locking in recycled raw material supply through a multi-year commitment, providing demand certainty for textile waste recycling capacity, and the value chain of European textile waste may further move toward the high-end recycled fiber segment in the future.

Source: Primark signs multi-year textile-to-textile recycling agreement with Circ · Originally published on 2026-09-28