All Circular Economy articles
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ArticleProgress in ski boot recycling; call for collaboration
Source: Dalbello Dalbello LIFE ReSkiBoot Italian ski boot brand Dalbello celebrated the conclusion of its EU-funded LIFE ReSkiBoot project this February. The stated aim of this LIFE project was to produce and market 1,000 high-quality, competitive ski boots made from around 90 percent recycled secondary raw materials. ...
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ArticleRefurbed expands into the second-hand sporting goods market
Founded in Vienna in 2017, the Refurbed scaleup has already established itself in seven European markets, including Austria, Germany, Sweden and Italy, by reselling reconditioned second-hand technology, especially computers, tablets and smartphones. At the end of 2022, the marketplace also began offering reconditioned city bikes and e-bikes in Germany, followed ...
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News briefsEl Corte Inglés is the latest signatory to Spain’s SCRAP
El Corte Inglés has become a member of Spain’s Association for the Management of Textile and Footwear Residues. In its brief history – it was founded a year ago, last January – the association has obtained the membership also of Decathlon, H&M, IKEA, Inditex, Kiabi, Mango and Tendam. It was ...
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ArticleBASF and Inditex unveil Loopamid, a circular Nylon 6 based entirely on textile waste
BASF and Inditex jointly announced on Jan. 23 a breakthrough in promoting circularity in the textile industry. With the launch of Loopamid, a Polyamide 6 (a synthetic polymer widely used in numerous textile applications due to its excellent mechanical properties and versatility, also known as Nylon 6) made from 100 ...
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ArticleVivobarefoot, Balena present 3D-printed, customized and fully compostable shoe
Source: Vivobarefoot Vivobarefoot VivoBiome UK-based footwear and lifestyle brand Vivobarefoot has announced a partnership with Tel Aviv-based circular economy startup Balena, founded in 2020. The aim is to produce shoes that are made-to-order and made-to-measure locally and are compostable and recyclable thanks to Balena’s BioCir®flex range of ...
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ArticleZeal Optics introduces Re-Shred recycled goggle initiative
Colorado-based Zeal Optics has introduced the Re-Shred Goggle Initiative, a comprehensive commitment to winter sports goggles with a minimum of 70 percent recycled content in all goggle frames and straps under the motto “Reduce. Reuse. Re-Shred.” “As a brand rooted in a love of the outdoors, we believe that every ...
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News briefsPuma collabs with US upcycler, launches textile-to-textile experiment
Puma has announced a new collaboration with US upcycler Andrew Burgess and his brand Vivid Visions, launching an experimental, one-of-a-kind capsule collection. Vivid Visions was founded on repurposing old textiles to create unique designs that have been endorsed and featured by NBA icons (Jayson Tatum) and US rappers (A Boogie ...
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ArticleEU bans destruction of unsold textiles, footwear
The European Commission, Parliament and Council agreed on Dec. 4 on a new framework to make products sustainable by design.
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News briefsWorld’s first parka made from biological recycling unveiled
Stella McCartney has unveiled a parka made of biorecycled polyester at COP28. The garment and the technology behind it is a result of a partnership between Protein Evolution and McCartney. Source: Stella McCartney/Protein Evolution The fashion parka is made from rigid packaging waste and industrial textile ...
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Infographics & DataEstimated 2026 circular market size by circular solution
According to a McKinsey analysis, the European sports circular market is expected to grow 20–25 percent a year, reaching €30–50 billion by 2030. But which sectors offer the most immediate potential for growth? Resale? Repair? Recycling? Or something else?
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News briefsCircle Sportswear raises €4m in latest funding round
Circle Sportswear, the French start-up that uses recycled resources to produce new technical garments that are themselves recyclable, has raised €4 million in a Series A funding round. The investment is led by French positive impact investment firm Alter Equity, alongside its historical shareholders and Thierry Peuchot, former marketing director ...
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News briefsNew zipper from YKK designed for recycling compatibility
YKK has launched a new water-repellent zipper designed to work in circular systems. The DynaPel zipper uses GTT Empel technology to eliminate the need for a polyurethane (PU) film and is thus designed to be compatible with garment recycling systems. Conventional chemical and mechanical garment recycling systems cannot process the ...
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News briefsHoudini’s new line encourages consumers to “do more with less”
Houdini’s newly unveiled Fall/Winter 2024 collection once again reinforces its founding principle for doing more with less, and its commitment to circularity. Highlights from the season include the Moonwalk collection – a lightweight, technical hybrid fleece collection – and the expanded Dunfri (Swedish for “down-free”) insulated line. The hybrid construction ...
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News briefsNew name for Rentle, expansion into resale
Finnish retail rental specialist Rentle, which lists Decathlon, Rab and Scandinavian Outdoor, amongst others, as customers, has changed its name to Twice Commerce. The name reflects the platform’s expansion from purely rental into resale. There will be no change in the rental platform, but brands can now benefit from the ...
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ArticleThe Footwear Collective seeks to drive industry’s transformation towards circularity
Athletic and outdoor footwear brands Brooks Running, New Balance, On, Vibram, Crocs and Ecco, along with US lifestyle brand Reformation and US retailer Target, have partnered with EarthDNA to launch The Footwear Collective (TFC), a non-profit initiative dedicated to uniting the global footwear industry to accelerate the ...
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News briefsProgram launched in France to repair shoes and clothing
On Nov. 7, the French government launched a subsidized program for the mending of clothing and footwear. The so-called “bonus réparation” is “good for the environment but also for purchasing power,” said Christophe Béchu, the country’s Minister for Ecological Transition. Consumers can have their clothes and shoes mended with some ...
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ArticleDIY repairs: 12 brands making repairs easy
Our listicle highlights the outdoor and sporting brands and retailers who are already helping consumers repair their own outdoor gear at home.
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News briefsCrocs launches Retail Takeback pilot program
Crocs has launched a Retail Takeback Pilot Program in the U.S., to donate or recycle old shoes. Under the program, consumers can bring old Crocs shoes, in any condition, back to all of the brand’s retail stores in 10 states: Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and ...
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News briefsDecathlon launches BuyBack in the UK
Following a successful launch in continental Europe, Decathlon has introduced BuyBack in the UK, a service that allows customers to sell their old bikes back to the retailer for up to 45 percent of the RRP. The first part of the program will focus on bicycles and will later be ...
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News briefsUYN launches initiative to recycle unused face masks
The Italian brand UYN is buying up unsold face masks from retailers and using them to create a sustainable accessories collection made from recycled materials. Under the “Change the Face of Your Mask” initiative, UYN will buy the masks – previously required during the Covid-19 pandemic – at €2.50 each ...
