CINCINNATI — June 26, 2025 — Standard Textile Co. Inc. has appointed Frank Kerley as vice president of its Textile Division, effective July 1, 2025. In this role, Kerley will lead one of the company’s core businesses, with oversight of strategic direction, growth initiatives, and operational performance across its Healthcare and Hospitality textile markets.
Frank Kerley
Kerley brings deep industry experience and a proven track record of success. Since rejoining Standard Textile in 2023 as Vice President of Business Development, he has played a key role in expanding high-impact product categories including surgical textiles, Scrubin® uniform solutions, and clinical performance solutions. He provided executive guidance to Standard Textile’s Consultative Services group, which partners with healthcare providers to improve efficiency and outcomes through data-driven linen program and process optimization. In addition, Kerley helped modernize the company’s sales education strategy, introducing updated curricula and digital learning tools.
Kerley’s career with Standard Textile began in sales and sales leadership before he was promoted to Vice President of Integrated Services, where he oversaw several key corporate functions. Prior to his return, he spent 25 years at United Audit Systems, where he served as Executive Vice President and led the development and commercialization of technologically enabled services in the healthcare revenue cycle industry.
“Frank has made a meaningful impact since returning to Standard Textile,” said Alex Heiman, president of Standard Textile. “His leadership, experience and strategic vision position us well to accelerate growth and deliver even greater value to our customers across the markets we serve.”
LONDON — June 26, 2025 — At this year’s Future Fabrics Expo, RE&UP brought together stakeholders from across the value chain for a private breakfast session titled: “Yesterday’s garments, today’s raw materials — what’s holding us back?”
Moderated by RE&UP’s Senior PR & Marketing Manager Keith O’Brien, the panel featured Nienke Steen, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, and Priyanka Khanna, Fashion for Good, who shared expert insights into the systemic and technical challenges preventing textile-to-textile recycling from scaling — and what’s being done to solve them.
With more than 50 guests in attendance and active participation from the audience, the discussion offered a rare cross-sector exchange between innovators, brands, retailers, and press exploring key topics such as:
Barriers to infrastructure and investment
The role of certification and standardization
Collaboration models that are pushing progress
The event reflected RE&UP’s ongoing commitment to building open dialogue around circularity — and accelerating the solutions needed to turn ambition into implementation.
“Yesterday’s garments are already today’s raw materials. There are still challenges, but we’re operating at scale — and with the right partners, we’ll continue to do better” said RE&UP’s General Manager Andreas Dorner.
HONG KONG — June 26, 2025 — TradeBeyond, a provider of global retail supply chain and merchandise import management solutions, today announced a major expansion of its partnership with Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP). After a competitive review process and as part of the enhanced collaboration, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) has selected TradeBeyond’s CBX Audit and Inspection platform as its official digital solution for conducting on-site and in-field facility audits. This announcement marks a deepening of the collaboration between TradeBeyond and WRAP, one of the most trusted social compliance certification organizations in the CPG and apparel industries.
This milestone furthers the long-standing relationship between the two organizations, which began in 2023 when WRAP integrated its sustainability and certification databases with TradeBeyond’s CBX platform. That integration allows brands and retailers to seamlessly access and verify WRAP certifications within the CBX Supplier Management solution, eliminating the need for external validation and streamlining compliance workflows.
Following a competitive selection process, including multiple rounds of product demonstrations, extensive technical evaluations, and a formal RFP, WRAP chose to enhance its partnership with TradeBeyond by fully adopting the CBX Digital Audit platform as its next-generation digital compliance infrastructure.
“After an extensive search, we selected TradeBeyond because their CBX platform reflects where audit technology needs to go in the future, not just where it is today,” said Sara Oien, WRAP’s vice president, Administration. “The CBX platform delivers the automation, flexibility, and usability we were looking for, and the team at TradeBeyond understands our mission at a deep level. This solution will help us better serve our stakeholders, enhance transparency, and raise the bar for responsible sourcing across the industry.”
With this transition, WRAP’s global network of auditors will now use TradeBeyond’s mobile-enabled tools to collect audit data on-site, streamlining documentation, standardizing reporting, and accelerating delivery of actionable insights. The CBX platform also allows for deep customization of final reports, flexible data capture, and seamless extraction for downstream analysis, enabling WRAP to better monitor trends and improve audit consistency at scale.
“This partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to raising the bar for ethical manufacturing and supply chain transparency,” said Michael Hung, CEO at TradeBeyond. “WRAP plays a critical role in helping the industry uphold socially responsible production practices. We’re proud to support that mission with a modern platform designed for efficiency, accuracy, and scale.”
As a major thought-leader in the social audits arena, WRAP plays a key role in shaping industry-wide best practices for social compliance. The expanded partnership with TradeBeyond ensures that WRAP can continue to lead the way in digital transformation while staying at the forefront of responsible sourcing.
“WRAP challenged us to deliver a robust, flexible platform capable of supporting their high standards and rigorous audit protocols,” added Hung. “We responded with the dedicated development and enhancements to the CBX platform tailored to WRAP’s needs as well as being capable of serving the broader global market, and we’re honored to have earned WRAP’s confidence.”
Posted: June 26, 2025
Source: TradeBeyond / Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)
Application created with one of Mimaki’s LED-UV printers, the UCJV330-160
By Marc Verbeem
The print industry faces significant challenges in becoming sustainable, especially given its integral role in our daily lives. Each part of the industry has its own flaws that hinder environmental responsibility. From the chemical hazards of certain inks to the energy-intensive nature of printing technology, these issues collectively highlight that a shift towards more sustainable practices is urgently needed to reduce the industry’s environmental impact
The textile industry has been particularly under scrutiny when it comes to unsustainable production practices, particularly regarding water use. According to research by the UN Trade and Development, the textile and fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water, accounting for about 20 percent of global wastewater. The dyeing and finishing processes with the industry require approximately 93 billion cubic meters of water annually — enough water for five million people — while generating 2 to 8 percent of the world’s global greenhouse gas emissions.1 It is estimated that fashion production comprises 10 percent of total global carbon emissions, as much as the emissions generated by the European Union.
And beyond the production itself, the microplastics and harmful chemicals in some inks end up in our oceans and natural surroundings, increasing the detrimental environmental impact of print. Addressing these challenges is crucial for reducing the industry’s environmental footprint and ensuring a greener future.
Transforming Print For A Sustainable Future
Making the switch to digital printing alone is already much more environmentally friendly than conventional printing methods. This type of printing enables on-demand, personalized prints, with no inventory or storage space required, reducing waste of all types.
While digital printing is quickly becoming the norm and is often the clear choice to support changing brand and consumer demands, manufacturers and print service providers need to look beyond the shift to digital and further innovate how to create a more environmental-conscious printing ecosystem.
Using LED-UV technology, Mimaki’s UJF, JFX and UJV printers tackle energy consumption concerns with the use of ultraviolet light to instantly dry or cure the ink as it is being distributed across the substrate. According to Mimaki’s own research, the company’s UV roll-to-roll printers consume five times less power compared to solvent printers and eight times less power compared to resin printers on the market. This is primarily due to the power consumption and heat generation of LED lights being remarkably lower than those of metal halide lamps, traditionally used to dry inks.
It’s important to look to the small changes as well as the major technological innovations, for example with inks. The majority of Mimaki’s printer inks used with sign graphic and industrial printers have achieved the GREENGUARD Gold certification and last year, 84.7 percent of the company’s ink sales for these two markets were GREENGUARD Gold certified. For textiles, Mimaki offers a range of water-based pigment inks suitable for both direct-to-fabric and transfer printing. Many of these inks hold certifications such as OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT or bluesign® APPROVED, ensuring compliance with safety and environmental standards in line with Mimaki’s sustainability pledges.
The revised carbon ink cartridge allows for a 68 percent reduction in plastic use
Even the packaging has been adapted. The popular SS21 ink now comes in a carton cartridge, and with this change, Mimaki can reduce annual plastic use by 29.2 metric tons, which equates to a reduction of 38 metric tons in carbon emissions. This move to carton will enable a 68-percent reduction in plastic use and is already being adopted in Europe following its success in Japan.
Innovations With A Common Thread — Sustainable Textile Production
Noting the concerns within textile printing, Mimaki focused on developing sustainable textile printing technologies, which tackle wastewater, energy consumption, while increasing efficiencies, and maintaining customers’ profitability.
TRAPIS provides a simplified workflow with significantly reduced water consumption
Recently introduced to the market, TRAPIS — Transfer Pigment System — is more sustainable than both analogue and digital textile dye printing methods with zero water consumption, aside from any used in the production of the material, and substantially lower carbon dioxide emissions. By simplifying the textile printing workflow to require only a large-format printer and a high-pressure calender, it eliminates the need for equipment like steaming or washing machines, making small-scale textile production more feasible and accessible locally.
The printing process involves three key elements: the Textile Pigment Ink, the Printing System and the Pigment Transfer paper, Mimaki Texcol.
Mimaki Texcol paper allows for transferring a digital print onto a wide range of materials, including natural fibers. The design is initially printed onto the paper using a slightly updated version of Mimaki TS330-1600 printer and Mimaki’s bluesign APPROVED pigment inks developed for the process. In the final stage, the Mimaki Texcol paper undergoes a one-step waterless process, through a calender machine onto the textile of choice.
Mimaki’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond the development of the company’s core solution. In an attempt to tackle one of the most pressing issues in the fashion and textile space, the company debuted a new unique concept set to revolutionize the reuse of coloured polyester textiles — the Neo-Chromato Process.
The growing awareness of sustainability has led to a significant disposal issue within the textile industry, with polyester textiles accounting for approximately 60 percent of 92 million tonnes of wasted textile materials worldwide2. Of this enormous amount of polyester waste, currently around only 15 percent is recycled. Mimaki’s Neo-Chromato Process tackles this issue head on by utilizing a discolouring technology for dye sublimation inks. By decolourizing polyester textiles that have been dyed, this innovative process allows materials to be re-printed or dyed immediately, contributing to a smaller circular economy. In fact, reused polyester can be repeatedly treated with the Neo-Chromato Process, which extends the lifecycle of materials.
Working Towards A Greener Future
While the printing industry is taking on the responsibility of creating a more environmentally friendly landscape, there is always more that can be done to further this progress. Innovative and exciting developments in technology are continuously breaking new ground, but there is still a way to go to see them being implemented globally.
While legal regulations are demanding more of manufacturers when it comes to their sustainability efforts, this shouldn’t be the driving force behind the need for change. It is important for printing companies to be both ambitious and strategic with the implementation of eco-friendly products and practices, while remaining transparent and articulating this clearly with all the stakeholders involved.
PARIS — June 26, 2025 — Lectra, smart industrial technology solutions provider for the fashion industry, has announced a new collaboration between Neteven, its centralized management solution for fashion marketplaces, and TikTok Shop. Fashion brands that use Neteven to sell their collections simultaneously on multiple marketplaces throughout the world can now also promote curated merchandise on one of the world’s most popular platforms.
TikTok Shop joins Neteven’s network of marketplaces
The Neteven solution was designed to optimize the way fashion brands distribute merchandise and track online sales. By centralizing all product-related information (catalog, stock and order management) with the SaaS solution, brands can automate and control the way they share it on Neteven’s partner marketplaces.
Neteven harnesses process automation and advanced analysis, dynamic pricing and multi-platform catalog creation functionalities to reduce companies’ IT workload and improve their sales performance.
By using Neteven, fashion brands can strengthen their presence on the world’s largest marketplaces and increase their customer base without losing control of their image. What’s more, they can also benefit from the support and guidance of business experts who can identify the best strategy for them individually.
“On average, our customers see a 35-percent increase in online sales within six months, while the time-to-market of their online collections is reduced by up to 80-percent,” said Greg Zemor, CEO, Neteven,a Lectra company.
“This success is obviously due to the technological innovation that Neteven represents, but also to the quality of our network of 80 marketplaces,” continued Zemor. “We make sure that the best marketplaces are included in this network. I am therefore particularly pleased to welcome TikTok Shop.” The platform’s discovery e-commerce service has just been rolled out in France, Spain and Italy”.
With Neteven, fashion brands can capitalize on the growth potential of a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.
In fashion, brand discovery happens as often on social media as it does on search engines, with 38 percent and 37 percent of customers using these two methods respectively. In the USA and the UK, the social commerce market could double by 2027. It is estimated that 43 percent of TikTok Shop users in the USA could be buying on the platform by then, according to McKinsey’s latest State of Fashion report.
TikTok Shop’s integration into Neteven’s network of partner marketplaces therefore represents a strategic opportunity for fashion brands. They can now realize the full potential of this novel e-commerce service by reaching consumers in the place where they find inspiration, interact and buy, making the most of the boom in live shopping, viral product videos, and influencer recommendations.
By adding TikTok Shop support to its Neteven solution, Lectra is confirming its position as a strategic partner in fashion brands’ digital transformation, and is giving its customers the keys to perform on the sales channels of tomorrow.
CAMBRIDGE, England — June 26, 2025 — Sparxell, a Cambridge-based color platform technology company founded by University of Cambridge scientists Dr. Benjamin Droguet and Professor Silvia Vignolini, has announced the launch of its first textile ink derived from its revolutionary dye-free pigments in partnership with Positive Materials, marking a pivotal moment in making sustainable color technology accessible to fashion brands worldwide.
Sparxell’s textile ink represents the world’s first commercially available plant-based, biodegradable coloring solution that is bioinspired, eliminating toxic dyes, synthetic plastics and mined metals and minerals whilst delivering exceptional performance standards.
Launching in Sparxell’s signature blue, the ink is available in matte and shimmer finishes — enabling brands to integrate the breakthrough technology through standard orders rather than bespoke projects.
This milestone represents a significant step towards democratizing access to sustainable color innovation across the fashion industry, from emerging designers to established high-end houses and mass-market brands.
Sparxell’s textile ink is available from the end of June 2025, with printing orders processed through Positive Materials. Partnership rollout includes an all-over printed cotton jersey featuring Sparxell’s breakthrough technology, available from September 2025 in European markets.
The initial blue color launch represents the first of multiple colors planned for release throughout 2025, with Sparxell’s bio-inspired platform enabling virtually unlimited color variations.
Sparxell’s textile ink harnesses the same structural color principles found in nature such as in Morpho butterfly wings, engineering plant-based cellulose at the microscale to create vibrant colors through light manipulation rather than chemical formulas. This bio-inspired approach eliminates toxic dyes, mined metals and minerals, and petroleum-based materials whilst delivering superior color vibrancy and durability.
Launch textile production is powered by Sparxell’s partnership with Positive Materials, a leading textile company operating at the intersection of design, technology, and manufacturing.
Positive Materials supports the validation and scale-up of Sparxell’s breakthrough by integrating it into its existing production infrastructure, providing the manufacturing expertise and operational capacity needed to take the technology from prototype to production-ready.
The partnership enables Sparxell to scale production whilst maintaining strict sustainability standards throughout the manufacturing process.
Dr Benjamin Droguet, founder and CEO of Sparxell, said: “This textile ink launch transforms how brands can access our breakthrough technology. For too long, the textile industry had no choice other than to accept that vibrant colors meant environmental damage. Sparxell’s bio-inspired technology shatters that assumption, delivering exceptional results from plant-based cellulose.
“This is just the beginning — our vision is to make bio-inspired color technology the new standard across fashion, proving that high performance and working in harmony with nature are perfectly aligned.”
Elsa Parente, co-CEO and chief technology officer of Positive Materials, said: “Rather than requiring custom development projects, fashion designers and procurement teams can now order the most sustainable colorant options out there as easily as conventional alternatives, but with the added benefit of containing 100-percent biodegradable pigments that are free from toxic chemicals.
“Our collaboration with Sparxell represents exactly the kind of innovation the textile industry needs, aligning perfectly with our mission to create low-impact textiles that don’t compromise on performance.”
The textile ink launch addresses growing industry demand for sustainable alternatives as the global textile industry currently uses over 10,000 different chemicals in coloration processes, releasing 1.5 million tonnes of toxic dyes into the environment annually contributing up to 2 percent of global GHG emissions. Sparxell’s plant-based solution significantly reduces energy need and water consumption whilst eliminating harmful chemical pollution.
The launch builds on Sparxell’s recent commercial momentum, including a 1.9 million euro grant from the European Innovation Council and participation in LVMH’s prestigious La Maison des Startups accelerator program.
WASHINGTON — June 26, 2025 — INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act (H.R. 2269). The WIPPES Act, which creates national standards for “Do Not Flush” labeling for non-flushable wipes, passed out of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in December of 2023, and today it cleared the House floor in a voice vote. The Senate version of the bill (S. 1092) advanced out of the Senate Science, Commerce, and Energy Committee.
This bipartisan legislation is intended to address the growing problem of sewer system clogs caused by improper disposal of consumer wipes that are not intended to be disposed of in toilets. This federal solution is the result of a years-long industry collaboration with wastewater operators, which has resulted in the passage of similar legislation in seven states. The WIPPES Act will create a national standard based on existing state laws to ensure non-flushable wipes will carry prominent “Do Not Flush” labeling on packaging.
“INDA has championed this legislation for the past two years, and we are encouraged to see it pass out of the House for the consecutive Congress. With the Senate Commerce Committee having advanced the Senate version of the bill last month, we now have more momentum behind this legislation than ever. We extend our thanks to the bill sponsors, our industry and wastewater partners, and INDA members as we take another step forward to make “Do Not Flush” labeling nationwide,” said Wes Fisher, Director of Government Affairs.
The WIPPES Act lead sponsors in the House are Representative Lisa McClain (R-MI) and Representative Kevin Mullin (D-CA), and the bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME).
Posted: June 26, 2025
Source: INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry
The EU’s Digital Product Passport (DPP) initiative will accelerate the transition to a global circular economy.
By Megan Brewster
A new era in sustainability compliance is officially upon us. Since coming into force in July 2024, the European Commission’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulations (ESPR) has set out a legal framework for establishing ecodesign requirements to reduce the environmental, energy, and climate impacts of manufacturing and consumption.
Implemented as a crucial measure under the ESPR, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital record or virtual label that will be required to be attached to products providing information pertaining to their composition, origin, recyclability, and lifecycle. Rollout is already underway for certain product categories, with more categories planned into 2030, and eventually expanding to all products sold in the EU (including imports) as clarified in the recently published Single Market Strategy. Under DPP measures, any company that sells products in the EU — including U.S. companies — will be required to comply.
So, why should this matter to companies now? In April 2025, the European Commission released the ESPR Working Plan, laying out the official implementation timeline for DPP product categories over the next five years. Among the first product categories outlined in the plan that will require DPPs are textiles and apparel. With a 2027 timeline for adoption, brands manufacturing and selling textile items in the European market must ready themselves for the upcoming deadline. So, how should companies respond to ensure they meet DPP compliance requirements under the ESPR in time?
Pathways To DPP Compliance
According to a recent survey by Impinj of supply chain professionals, nearly half (49%) of respondents cited concerns about their organization’s ability to meet requirements under DPP, and more than one-third (37 percent) anticipate not being able to meet the DPP compliance deadline. However, the pressure is on to act quickly to pave a smooth pathway to regulatory compliance, particularly for companies within the textiles and apparel space who will be among the first industries required to be DPP compliant.
As such, there are key steps textile and apparel companies can take to ensure their organizations can meet critical requirements under the mandate:
Identify an internal expert or trusted consultant to act as a DPP champion: Critical to ensuring companies can keep up with the requirements of the new EU legislation, identify a subject matter expert on all things DPP. This will enable your organization to stay ahead of any updates and that the latest thinking is reflected in their DPP planning and strategies.
Collaborate with suppliers to outline your DPP strategy: Collaborating with suppliers and partners to outline your DPP strategy will enable accurate evaluation of DPP data collection requirements and the technologies that must be adopted to comply with regulatory requirements.
Evaluate the systems and technologies required: To provide detailed information on products’ composition, origin, and lifecycle, a digital record or “digital twin” will be required.
This information must be consumer-accessible through at least one identifier – including a
QR code, barcode, NFC tag, or a battery-free wireless RAIN radio frequency identification
(RFID) tag. Each of these technologies takes a different approach and offers different
benefits. Organizations must ensure that they adopt the solution that best ensures
compliance while also improving their day-to-day operations.
How RAIN RFIDs Can Enable DPPs
RAIN RFID is a battery-free wireless technology that enables the seamless identification and authentication of products. RAIN RFID will enable manufacturers and retailers to provide the critical product information required under DPP. At the same time, RAIN RFID provides additional insights into overall inventory management, ensuring companies can both comply with DPP regulations and reap benefits beyond the mandate. RAIN RFID provides real-time visibility into inventory levels, enabling retailers and manufacturers to quickly and accurately locate, identify, and engage with their products.
Beyond DPP compliance, RAIN RFID offers a variety of other extended benefits, such as revolutionizing loss prevention efforts, ensuring authenticity, and bolstering sustainability efforts.
The establishment of both the broader ESPR and the Digital Product Passport initiative by the EU sets out to create much-needed product transparency and traceability in a larger push towards a global circular economy. With the next critical milestone in DPP legislation set to take effect in 2027 — when DPPs for textile and apparel products will enter force —retailers and manufacturers now have a critical opportunity to evaluate and take action to ensure they are staying ahead of these global regulatory changes.
Editor’s Note: Megan Brewster is the vice president of advanced technology at Seattle-based Impinj, a provider of RAIN radio frequency identification technologies. Prior to joining Impinj, Brewster served as fellow and senior policy advisor for advanced manufacturing for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where she supported the stand-up of the administration’s signature advanced manufacturing initiative.
STOCKHOLM — June 24, 2025 — As part of its mission to evolve from a pulp producer to a full solution provider, Circulose is taking a bold step toward scaling circular solutions in the fashion industry with the launch of CIRCULOSE® Forward — a platform of practical tools that help brands seamlessly integrate CIRCULOSE into their supply chains and products.
Launching into the public sphere with the solutions-driven non-profit Canopy, the CIRCULOSE Forward platform includes the CIRCULOSE Material Library, featuring CIRCULOSE Forward Priced Materials, the CIRCULOSE Forward Price Calculator and the updated CIRCULOSE Supplier Network.
“Scaling up next-gen materials is not straightforward. To enable adoption at scale and at pace, we need to make integration into brands’ supply chains seamless. CIRCULOSE Forward is a key initiative to make that happen,” said Jonatan Janmark, CEO of Circulose.
“We’re proud to support partner with Circulose’s on the launch of CIRCULOSE Forward,” said Nicole Rycroft, founder and executive director of Canopy. “This platform provides practical, scalable solutions that align with both climate science and market needs. It’s the kind of innovation that helps the industry leave deforestation in the past and move decisively toward a resilient, low-carbon, Next-Gen future.”
The CIRCULOSE® Forward Material Library
As the first rollout within this initiative, Circulose is unveiling the CIRCULOSE Material Library, a digital showcase of commercially available materials made with CIRCULOSE. It includes a curated selection of fabrics and yarns that highlight the beauty, performance, and versatility of CIRCULOSE.
The CIRCULOSE® Forward Priced Materials
A selection of these materials qualify as CIRCULOSE Forward Priced Materials, meaning they follow our CIRCULOSE Forward Price Logic — a logic grounded in the principle that there should be no unwarranted price amplification through the value chain steps.
The CIRCULOSE® Forward Price Calculator
The CIRCULOSE Forward Price Calculator is a tool that leverages this logic and helps brands estimate the expected cost impact at material or garment level of adopting CIRCULOSE.
The CIRCULOSE® Supplier Network
The CIRCULOSE Supplier Network (CSN) is a group of supply-chain partners that are experienced in producing materials made with CIRCULOSE and are committed to support a smooth and efficient shift from virgin fibers to CIRCULOSE.
The CIRCULOSE Forward platform is still under development, but a preview is available now on the Circulose website.
“This is just the beginning,” said Jonatan Janmark, CEO of Circulose. “CIRCULOSE Forward will continue to grow, giving our partners access to a robust portfolio of tools that make circularity not a distant vision — but a reality today.”
Explore the preview of the CIRCULOSE Forward platform circulo.se/en/circulose-forward/ including our first curated set CIRCULOSE Forward Priced Materials. Connect with us to make circularity at scale a reality.
STOCKHOLM — June 24, 2025 — Syre, the textile impact company hyperscaling textile-to-textile recycling, today announces a strategic partnership with Gap Inc., Houdini Sportswear, and Target as part of its commercial launch. The Launch Partners will play a critical role in bringing circular polyester to the broader market, accelerating adoption, and shaping the future of the textile industry.
Syre launched in March 2024 with a mission to decarbonize and dewaste the textile industry, establishing textile-to-textile plants producing circular polyester across the globe, reducing CO2e emissions by up to 85 percent compared to the production of oil-based virgin polyester, in a circular approach.
The company already announced its first ‘blueprint’ plant being established in North Carolina, US, to be operational already in 2026 and delivering volumes up to 10,000 metric tons of circular polyester annually. Today, Syre announces the selected group of strategic Launch Partners to drive commercialization and accelerate adoption:
GAP INC.: Gap Inc., the largest specialty apparel retailer in America, has partnered with Syre with an ambition to utilize 10,000 metric tons per year of Syre’s recycled polyester chip. The collaboration marks a significant step in Gap Inc.’s commitment to integrate more sustainable materials across its portfolio of brands, including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta.
HOUDINI SPORTSWEAR: Sweden-based Houdini, technical outdoor brand and trailblazer in circular innovation, has partnered up with Syre with the ambition to have a fully circular and waste free ecosystem in place by 2030 and for textile-to-textile recycled fibers to re-emerge as the company’s primary source of polyester. Houdini has committed to sourcing 50% of their polyester usage from Syre circular polyester for a period of three years.
TARGET: Target, a Minneapolis-based retailer that serves guests at nearly 2,000 stores and at Target.com, plans for 100 percent of its owned brand products to be designed for a circular future by 2040. As part of this commitment, Target is partnering with Syre to incorporate textile-to-textile recycled polyester into a selection of the company’s owned brand products.
“We are thrilled to announce our partnerships with these esteemed and forward-thinking brands, representing different segments and sizes,” said Dennis Nobelius, CEO Syre. “They are truly front runners, understanding the need to secure capacity of a scarce resource to be. As we embark on the next phase of scaling at speed, we’re confident that these collaborations will not only bolster commercial success but also help redefine the industry and drive the urgent shift towards true circularity.”
Recent market research conducted by Syre and McKinsey1 showcases a 10-12 million tons expected annual supply-demand gap for textile-to-textile recycled polyester by 2030. Brands across textile-heavy industries have committed to bold circularity targets and regulations will accelerate demand for circular materials, also phasing out the established solution for recycled polyester (bottle-to-fiber) which is not circular.
“We’re proud to be among the first to support Syre’s innovative textile solutions. This partnership enables us to accelerate our progress toward realizing a more circular fashion industry,” said Dan Fibiger, vice resident of Global Sustainability at Gap Inc. “Our ambition to utilize 10,000 metric tons per year of Syre’s recycled polyester chip is not only an innovation that we feel will resonate with our customer, but it is an important lever for Gap Inc. in our efforts to bridge the climate gap.”
“With nature as our blueprint we envision a pure, waste free and circular flow of natural resources, products and a business model that are circular by design and companies like ourselves that act as custodians and caretakers of those resources. In partnership with Syre’s ambition, we are closing in on that vision”, says Eva Karlsson, co-founder and chief creative officer at Houdini.
Announcing the Launch Partners marks a pivotal milestone on Syre’s journey, underscoring its commitment to deliver a circular solution at scale. The company has worked closely with each of the partners to be able to ensure seamless integration, delivering on their ambitious circularity and decarbonization targets. Through these collaborations Syre aims to unlock the marketplace and see many more partners follow, across textile and polyester heavy industries, to drive the great textile shift.
1 McKinsey research conducted for Syre, Nov 2024, based on top 450 apparel, top 25 automotive, and top 100 interior brands, announced capacities and needs
CINCINNATI — June 26, 2025 — Standard Textile Co. Inc. has appointed Frank Kerley as vice president of its Textile Division, effective July 1, 2025. In this role, Kerley will lead one of the company’s core businesses, with oversight of strategic direction, growth initiatives, and operational performance across its Healthcare and Hospitality textile markets.
