NEW YORK CITY — March 7, 2025 — Following the successful launch of circular products at Target, another milestone in textile-to-textile recycling has landed in the market: the Wrangler x Accelerating Circularity jeans, now available at Walmart. This launch showcases the viability of integrating mechanically recycled post-consumer and post-industrial cotton into mainstream apparel.
As part of Accelerating Circularity’s U.S.-based trials, 23 tons each of post-consumer and post-industrial cotton were successfully recycled, working with key supply chain partners to turn used textiles into new products. The Wrangler x Accelerating Circularity jeans contain 26-percent recycled cotton (50-percent post-consumer, 50-percent post-industrial), alongside virgin cotton and elastane for stretch, setting a new benchmark for post-consumer recycled content in commercially available denim.
This project was made possible through collaboration across the textile supply chain trial members, including collection by Bank & Vogue (post-consumer) and Martex (post-industrial); mechanical recycling by Giotex & Estopas; yarn production by Parkdale; and fabric production by Cone Denim.
Key innovations include:
- Cross-brand collaboration for standardized yarn and fabric specifications allowed trials to
meet supply chain minimum order quantities (MOQs), proving commercial viability; - Unprecedented level of post-consumer mechanically recycled cotton (in combination
with post-industrial and virgin cotton) in a mainstream denim product; - Proven durability: products passed commercial performance tests benchmarked against
major brand standards.
“This launch is a proof point that circularity is not just a concept — it’s happening now,” said Karla Magruder, founder of Accelerating Circularity. “Through collaboration across the supply chain, we’ve shown that used textiles can become a viable feedstock for new products at scale.”
With this release, Wrangler joins a growing list of brands bringing circular products to market through Accelerating Circularity’s trials. As the initiative moves forward, the focus remains on scaling impact, including the next major goal: recycling 325 tons of used textiles as part of Accelerating Circularity’s Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action.
Brands, retailers, and manufacturers interested in joining the next phase can reach out at
info@acceleratingcircularity.org.
Posted March 11, 2025
Source: Wrangler
