Primark has signed a partnership agreement with textile-to-textile recycling company Circ to incorporate recycled polyester made from textile waste into its clothing products. This is part of Primark's efforts to expand its use of circular materials and reduce reliance on virgin polyester.

Key Points

  • Primark has partnered with Circ to introduce recycled polyester made from textile waste into Primark clothing.
  • The recycled polyester will be produced at Circ's commercial facility, with feedstock sourced globally, including post-consumer and post-industrial waste, and involving the valorization of European textile waste.
  • Circ's patented technology can recycle polycotton fabrics, separating and recovering polyester and cellulose to reintroduce them into the fashion supply chain.

Under the agreement, the recycled polyester will be produced at Circ's commercial-scale facility. The facility will source textile feedstock globally, covering both post-consumer and post-industrial waste, with sourcing locations spanning multiple regions, including the valorization of European textile waste. For the industry, processing discarded textiles collected in Europe and elsewhere into recycled fibers and channeling them back into the clothing supply chain has long been seen as a key link in scaling circular materials.

Through its Primark Cares strategy, Primark has previously incorporated circular design principles into product development and helped consumers extend the life of their garments through reuse and repair initiatives. Lynne Walker, Director of Primark Cares, said that when the strategy was launched, it focused on improving clothing quality and durability, hoping to prove that more durable clothing need not be priced higher; since then, the company has made tangible progress, including increasing the proportion of recycled fibers used, launching products designed for recyclability, and enhancing supply chain traceability. She called this partnership an important milestone in accelerating the deeper embedding of circularity into the business, helping to scale innovative textile-to-textile recycling solutions that could be transformative for the future of the fashion industry.

Circ CEO Peter Majeranowski said the partnership with Primark demonstrates the long-term commercial commitment needed to move textile-to-textile recycling from innovation to industry standard. He believes that when a global fashion retailer commits to integrating recycled materials into future collections, it sends a strong signal to the entire industry: demand already exists, materials are ready, and the opportunity to scale circular material supply chains is real.

Circ's patented technology can process polycotton blended fabrics—one of the most widely used and historically hardest-to-recycle material streams in the fashion industry. The principle is to separate and recover polyester and cellulose from blended textile waste, producing high-quality materials that can be reintroduced into the fashion supply chain.

Source: Primark teams up with Circ to introduce recycled polyester into clothing | Retail Bulletin · Originally published on 2026-09-30