Circ® of Danville, Virginia, and Huafon Group announced on October 8, 2026, a partnership to build and scale a textile waste recycling base in China in phases, located within Huafon's existing industrial park and using Circ's polycotton recycling technology to process textile waste.

Key Points

  • Phase 1 is designed to process about 200 tons of textile waste per day, with capacity to be expanded later.
  • In addition to providing engineering, procurement, logistics and commercial expertise, Huafon is also investing directly alongside other selected investors.
  • Outputs include recycled PTA, recycled MEG and recycled cellulose pulp, which will be fed back into the manufacture of new textiles.

Under the plan, the base will advance in phases. Phase 1 is designed for a processing capacity of about 200 tons of textile waste per day, with overall expansion room depending on subsequent phases. Circ contributes its polyester-cotton separation and recycling technology, while Huafon provides manufacturing capability, infrastructure and access to the Chinese market. The two stressed that the aim of the combination is rapid industrial deployment.

Circ CEO Peter Majeranowski said China is the center of global textile production and a key location for scaling textile-to-textile recycling; the industrial capability, experience and investment Huafon brings can quickly take the platform beyond the limits of a first plant. Huafon Group Vice President and Chairman of Huafon Microfibre Shanghai Technology Co., Ltd. You Feifeng said Circ's technology is one of the most promising textile-to-textile recycling solutions he has seen, and that Huafon already has the capability to help bring it to market, combining innovation with industrial strength and investment to turn waste textile materials into the high-quality materials the industry needs.

Huafon is a leading player in China's chemicals and advanced materials sector and one of the world's major spandex producers, with more than 30 years of experience in materials technology, innovation and chemical manufacturing; through its acquisition of the former DuPont biomaterials business (now Covation Biomaterials), it has expanded to Newark, Delaware, and Kingston, North Carolina, and gained the ability to serve and do business with global customers outside China.

The project aligns with China's industrial policy direction. China's 15th Five-Year Plan emphasizes developing the circular economy, strengthening waste recycling systems, promoting high-quality recycled materials, green manufacturing and low-carbon production; its materials strategy also prioritizes advanced polymers, high-performance fibers and bio-based materials. These policy directions overlap with the circular textile materials goals of Circ and Huafon.

During capacity construction, Circ and Huafon will engage brands, supply chain partners and downstream buyers. Beyond capacity, the cooperation opportunities cited by the two include additional capacity in later phases, downstream commercialization activities, and a long-term production platform for circular textiles serving both the Chinese and global markets.

For the industry, this is a large-scale attempt at cooperation between a global textile recycling technology provider and a leading Chinese materials manufacturer under the framework of China's 15th Five-Year Plan circular economy policy. If the demonstration succeeds, it could offer a replicable path for short-process recycling of polyester-cotton blended waste.

Source: Circ® Expands Global Footprint By Partnering With Huafon To Build And Scale Textile-To-Textile Recycling In China · Originally published 2026-10-11