Recycled Fibers Are Likely to Shape Textiles' Future

In October 2025, H&M announced a new collaboration with Circ and Lenzing to launch its first clothing items made using recycled fibers produced through Circ's recycling technology. The partnership marks an important step in H&M's efforts to increase the use of recycled materials in its collections, as per the company's claim. Also, according to the announcement, the project focuses on giving textile waste a new purpose by turning it into fibers that can be used to make new garments.

Furthermore, as part of this collaboration, Circ's technology is used to separate polyester and cellulose from polycotton textile waste so that both materials can be recovered and reused. Also, the companies worked together with H&M's supplier factories in Bangladesh, where around 2.6 tonnes of textile waste were processed into reusable fibers. 

According to Towards Chem and Materials, the polyester fiber market size accounted for USD 128.65 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from USD 136.51 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 232.79 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 6.11% from 2026 to 2035, due to the greater integration of the major industries in the current period.
  
Moreover, H&M is introducing two products through this partnership. The first is a women's sweatshirt that contains recycled polyester fiber produced by Circ. This product will be released as part of the company's fall collection. The second product is a pair of jeans planned for the following spring season. These jeans will include a cellulose-based fiber developed through the collaboration between Circ and Lenzing.

Also, Lenzing has integrated Circ's recycled cellulose material into its own fiber production process. According to the announcement, the fiber used in the jeans contains 30% Circ recycled pulp. Moreover, the companies stated that this collaboration shows how advanced recycling technologies can support the production of new textile materials from used clothing.