Inditex, the parent company of Zara and the world's largest clothing retailer, announced on Friday that its suppliers will procure 2,000 metric tons of raw material produced from cotton textile
waste by the Swedish firm Renewcell.
Renewcell operates one of the world's initial commercial-scale textile-to-textile recycling plants, aiding clothing retailers in replacing virgin fibers with recycled textiles. It specializes in creating textile pulp through chemical recycling of cotton waste, which is marketed under the name "Circulose."
Similar to other fast-fashion brands, Inditex is facing increasing pressure to reduce waste and incorporate more recycled materials into its products. Just this week, the Spanish conglomerate signed an agreement to purchase recycled polyester from a U.S.-based startup. Inditex is committed to sourcing 25% of its fibers from "next-generation" materials by 2030.
According to its annual report, Inditex placed a total of 621,244 tons of products on the market last year.
Renewcell's CEO, Magnus Hakansson, expressed his positive outlook, saying, "A public commitment to procure any quantity of fibers made with Circulose is a significant step. It sends a strong signal to the market that Inditex is actively working towards its goal of utilizing more next-generation materials."
Inditex stated that its suppliers will acquire the initial shipment of raw material composed of a blend of Circulose and cellulose sourced from a sustainably managed forest, to be integrated into Inditex's product lines.
Levi Strauss has already entered into an agreement with Renewcell to utilize Circulose in the production of some of its denim pants, incorporating it with organic cotton. Swedish retailer H&M also pledged in 2020 to incorporate Circulose material across its brands over a five-year period, as stated on Renewcell's website.
As of the end of September, Renewcell reported that it had sold approximately 14,400 tons of Circulose. Photo by David Adam Kess, Wikimedia commons.