Zara and Circ join forces to launch collection made with recycled polycotton

Zara has partnered with Ciric, a textile technology company under the portfolio of The Mills Fabrica (南豐作坊), to launch a women’s capsule collection made with recycled textiles derived from polycotton textile waste in an effort to promote sustainability.

This partnership follows investment from Inditex, Zara’s parent company, in Circ last year within its Sustainability Innovation Hub (SIH) which aims to boost technological innovation and improve product circularity. The two brands have tackled one of the biggest challenges for the fashion industry: breaking down blends of polyester and cotton – referred to as “polycotton” – into new recycled raw materials to create new garments. Circ´s innovative recycling technology is designed to separate polycotton blended textile waste and recover both cellulosic and synthetic fibers.

Utilising this technology, Zara and Circ have created a collection featuring lyocell garments made with 50% recycled polycotton textile waste and polyester garments with 43% recycled polycotton textile waste. With creative direction from the design team at Zara Woman, the collection showcases on-trend and light garments in burgundy tones that are designed to keep in circulation, available across 11 markets globally. 

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Circ believed that its partnership with Zara signals a seismic shift in how the fashion industry and consumers view what is possible in sustainability, according to Peter Majeranowski, CEO of Circ. "This is the first-time recycled polyester and lyocell clothing manufactured from polycotton textile waste is in the hands of consumers, and we are taking important steps towards making circularity the new standard. Circ and Zara want to create a new future in which the garments hanging in our closets are made from recycled materials that can then be recycled over and over again," saidMajeranowski.

“This first-of-its-kind collection demonstrates that innovation in new fibers and collaboration with specialized experts are two key pillars in advancing the circularity of the textile industry. Circ’s technology opens the door to effectively separate and recycle any blend of polyester and cotton – which is one of the most common textile blends in clothing. At Zara and Inditex, we want to lead the transformation of our industry by creating fashion collections rooted in circularity,” said Javier Losada, Inditex chief sustainability officer.    

Meanwhile, The Mills Fabrica also believed that the technology-empowered solutions created by the partnership would make a positive impact in the textile and apparel industry, contributing to a more sustainable future. "The Mills Fabrica looks forward to our continued support of Circ as they make sustainable fashion accessible to the masses through this unprecedented partnership with Zara,” said Cintia Nunes, General Manager and head of Asia, The Mills Fabrica.