French textile recycler Reju is working with six mills to develop fabrics made with its regenerated polyester, aiming to help bring the material into the global textile supply chain at scale. The partnerships come as the company advances plans for full-scale textile-to-textile recycling facilities in Sittard-Geleen, the Netherlands; Rochester, New York; and Lacq, France.
The mill partners are A. Sampaio, RDD Textiles, Swisstex Direct, Tintex Textiles, FOV Fabrics and Utenos Trikotazas. Their capabilities span circular knitted fabrics, sustainable natural and synthetic fibers, high-tech woven textiles and vertically integrated manufacturing. Tintex and RDD also hold certifications related to recycled-content traceability and environmental compliance.
Reju CEO Patrik Frisk said the partnerships give the company access to the manufacturing expertise needed to turn regenerated polyester into market-ready fabrics. Reju plans to develop roughly 20 “megafactories” worldwide by 2034, expanding its capacity to supply consistent, high-quality material to manufacturers and brands.
Frisk said the challenge is not simply developing recycling technology, but building a system that connects collection, sorting, recycling and demand on workable economic terms. He argued that brands must help create demand and participate in the system, alongside other supply-chain partners.
He also warned that collectors, sorters and recyclers in North America and Europe are under pressure from rising volumes of cheap, low-quality garments, which can make sales insufficient to cover operating costs. Frisk described the resulting shortfall as a widening “waste gap” and said action to Build recycling infrastructure should not be delayed.
Sources: WWD.