Feedstock Assessment for Biosynthetic Innovation, an initiative in collaboration with Bestseller and On aimed at accelerating the industry’s shift towards alternatives to fossil-fuel polymers. The assessment will be conducted in partnership with industry experts, the Nova Institute.

This project was led by Fashion for Good, together with Zalando and circular.fashion, a Fashion for Good alumni innovator. The objective was to test the circularity.ID, a traceability solution designed by circular.fashion to increase resale and recycling opportunities for clothing at scale.

Fashion for Good expanded its Sorting for Circularity framework to address the challenge of sorting for rewearable textiles to understand better their resale potential and the demand across the second-hand market. We launched an 18-month initiative in January 2024 in collaboration with Circle Economy, brand partners adidas, Inditex, Levi Strauss & Co. and Zalando to enhance the sorting of rewearable textiles using innovative AI technologies. The project seeks to improve garment recovery for resale, promoting circularity in the fashion industry.

The European Green Deal and the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan highlight textiles as one of the particularly important material streams with regard to circularity potential and environmental footprint.

In a world first for the fashion industry, twelve pioneering players came together to break new ground by demonstrating a circular model for commercial garment production.

The T-REX Project brings together 13 major players from across the entire value chain to create a harmonised EU blueprint and business opportunities for closed loop sorting, and recycling of household textile waste. Transforming end-of-use textiles, from waste, into a desired feedstock, and a commodity for new business models that can be adopted at scale.

The aim of the pilot was to test and validate the FastFeetGrinded footwear recycling process by evaluating the quality of outputs and understanding the environmental impacts of the process. FastFeetGrinded is a company specialising in footwear recycling that accepts all types of footwear as feedstock to produce sorted material granulates with zero waste streams. FastFeetGrinded aims to deconstruct any type of pre- and post-consumer shoe, separating footwear into substituent components, which are then subsequently grinded down and processed to create material streams for repurposed use.

The Tracing Textile Waste Project by Fashion for Good and Textile Exchange focuses on improving transparency and traceability of textile waste in the reverse supply chain.

This project involved a detailed analysis and assessment of physical tracer technologies for the textile industry, aimed at improving the traceability of fibres and materials across the supply chain. It evaluated forensic and additive tracers as solutions to verify the origins of materials and strengthen transparency in the textile supply chain.

In December 2020, Fashion for Good launched a pilot to test the TextileGenesis™ platform, a blockchain-based solution for tracing sustainable viscose fibres. This pilot involved several partners including Bestseller, Kering and Zalando, in addition to manufacturers Lenzing, ENKA and Tangshan Sanyou. The pilot’s aim was to test the TextileGenesis™ platform and trace responsibly sourced viscose through digital and physical means across the supply chain.

This project tested the feasibility of tracking organic cotton, from farms to retail, using on-product markers and blockchain technology.

Cost optimisation is crucial for scaling innovations. By reducing expenses, increasing operational efficiency, and securing high-quality feedstock, innovators can improve profitability and competitiveness. As the industry embarks on new ventures, strategic cost management becomes key to enhancing profitability, improving cash flow, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. As a response to supporting innovators in building out these strategies, FFG has developed “Manufacturing Markets Gateway”, to support innovators with connections to selected industry partners, local exposure, sourcing feedstock opportunities and overall knowledge building.

Scale is unlocked for sustainable innovation only when supply and demand are effectively connected—bringing together innovators, brands, and manufacturers—and when this opportunity is pursued through curated and meaningful partnerships. To achieve scale, careful planning, strong stakeholder engagement, adequate resources, and a flexible approach are essential. Transitioning from the pilot stage to full-scale implementation of sustainable technologies presents several significant challenges. Bridging the gap between small-scale trials and large-scale deployment requires addressing differences in requirements, resources, and complexities. Common issues include scalability concerns, such as adapting technology to increased volumes and integrating it with existing systems and machinery. Limited funding options and unclear implementation strategies also pose barriers, making the scaling process difficult. In response to these challenges, we have developed the Strategic Supplier Initiative (SSI) to support FFG partners and innovators in successfully scaling their sustainable processes.

To address the gaps in post-consumer feedstock for the development of textile-to-textile recycling in India, FFG has initiated the Sort to Sustain (STS) Project, in line with the broader ambition of the Re-START Alliance. This project focuses on enhancing the quantity, quality, and price of feedstock to support the recycling industry. The project aims to establish a circular textiles system in India by creating a robust collection and sorting ecosystem for widespread recycling implementation. Leveraging insights from the Sorting for Circularity India project, it seeks to scale sorting and pre-processing infrastructure. The goal is to support the expansion of at least four waste enterprises and set up their Textile Recovery Facilities (TRFs) by 2030.

World of Waste is an online tool dedicated to uniting industry-wide efforts to develop and disseminate data on textile waste. The platform consolidates data from individual studies by partnering with ecosystem players.

This project was designed to organise and optimise India’s textile waste supply chain. By evaluating various waste streams for collection, sorting, and pre-processing, the initiative aimed to enhance circularity in textiles. It sought to improve collection and sorting systems, foster recycling infrastructure, and introduce innovative solutions to generate new revenue streams and next-generation materials from textile waste-reducing reliance on virgin resources and minimising landfill and incineration.

India generates around 3,944k tonnes of post-consumer textile waste annually, with 48% viable for recycling feedstock, though inadequate sorting and recycling systems prevent full utilisation. This project involved two primary pilots that tested sorting innovations: Matoha’s FabriTell desktop scanner for semi-automated sorting and PICVISA’s ECOSORT for fully automated sorting. The pilots aimed to assess these technologies’ ability to categorise waste by fibre and colour efficiently, ultimately facilitating quality feedstock production for recycling. Initial findings suggest India could effectively harness a closed-loop textile recycling system, with cotton and polyester blends as dominant waste types.

The Sorting for Circularity India Pre-Consumer Pilot aimed to organise the Indian textile waste market by establishing a circular economy that maximises value recovery from textile waste. This pilot addressed pre-consumer waste (factory floor cutting waste) and aimed to demonstrate a 360° closed-loop system, where factory waste is segregated, digitally traced, and then processed by recyclers to produce new fibres, which are returned to the production chain. The initiative sought to enhance transparency, traceability, and efficiency in India’s textile waste management system.

The project aimed to assess the potential for fibre-to-fibre recycling in the United States. The project evaluated consumer behaviour around textile disposal and analysed post-consumer textile waste to determine its suitability for recycling. The goal was to promote circularity by improving textile collection systems and supporting the development of recycling infrastructures and technologies.

The Sorting for Circularity Europe project was launched in early 2021 and initiated by Fashion for Good together with Circle Economy. The project was made possible by catalytic funding from Laudes Foundation and brand partners, adidas, BESTSELLER, Inditex and Zalando, with H&M Group as key project partners. The project addressed the need for data on textile waste in the market, identifying waste types and recycling opportunities.

Launched in 2021, the Sorting for Circularity Framework aims to bridge the gap between the textile sorting and recycling industries by improving data collection on textile waste volumes and characteristics (such as composition, quality and colour). This initiative was designed to address the critical lack of information and implementation needed to enhance textile waste management and recycling processes using sorting and traceability.

The “Future Forward Factories” project, initiated by Fashion for Good, focuses on transforming tier 2 processing in the textile industry through innovative low-impact, decarbonisation solutions. It aims to generate actionable blueprints for factories of the future that combine renewable energy and technology upgradation including mostly dry processing innovations. These blueprints take into account the macro geographical factors that are customised for every product to achieve next-zero facilities with a strong return on investment.

The Advanced Processing Matrix (APM) project came as a next step to the D(R)YE Factory of the Future project. It aims to continue Fashion for Good’s efforts to accelerate the shift from wet to mostly dry processing in the fashion industry by validating and scaling innovative textile processing technologies.

This project was designed to address the gap in knowledge and infrastructure for sustainable dyes by developing a tool to identify, assess, and select innovative dyestuffs based on specific metrics and fabric requirements. The project collaborates with brands, supply chain partners, and industry stakeholders to conduct comprehensive evaluations, aiming to facilitate an industry shift toward sustainable dye options. Structured in multiple rounds, each involving five innovators, the project includes trials at both lab and pilot scales, with support and guidance for participating innovators.

The aim of the project was to validate the use of  black pigments derived from waste materials to replace conventional carbon black from virgin fossil fuels in dope dyeing applications. The aim is to reduce the environmental impact of textile dyeing by using renewable, eco-friendly pigments sourced from waste.

The aim of the project was to test and validate the technical feasibility of the different PHA polymer and composite resins to make mono and multifilament fibres. Fashion for Good worked with the Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute (NIRI) to run the melt spinning trials to allow for a comparative evaluation. The initial scope of the project also included end of use testing including degradation testing. However the project partners decided to prioritise additional spinning trials over degradation testing.

The aim of the project was to explore the use of agricultural residues to produce natural fibres, reducing reliance on conventional fibres like cotton. Building on the findings of the Laudes Foundation commissioned report ‘Spinning Future Threads’.

The aim of the pilot was to test and refine Materra’s technology to grow extra long staple cotton at a pilot farm, as historically this variety of cotton has not been grown in large volumes in this region due to specific climatic requirements for cultivation.

This project focused on reusable packaging in the fashion e-commerce industry. It examined the environmental impact of transitioning from single-use to reusable packaging solutions, aiming to reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions. The study highlighted the variables that influence the viability of reusable packaging and offers insights on implementation and scaling strategies.

The London Polybag Collection Scheme Pilot aimed to address the low recycling rates of polybags used in the fashion industry by trialling a scalable recycling infrastructure for collecting and processing polybag waste into new materials.

The aim of the project was to explore and validate bio-based, home-compostable polybags. To assess their suitability as a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil-fuel-based plastic packaging, addressing the fashion industry’s plastic waste problem.

The aim of the pilot was to tackle the environmental issues caused by virgin polybags in the fashion industry. This industry-first pilot aimed to create a closed-loop recycling solution for polybags, using post-consumer polybag waste and achieving a high level of recycled content suitable for industry needs.

The aim of the pilot was to develop and test the next generation of mycelium-based alternatives to leather and foam materials. This project, spanning from December 2021 to March 2024, involved collaboration with major fashion brands to create sustainable materials suitable for consumer goods.

This pilot aimed to test, refine, and scale Treekind®, an alternative to animal and synthetic leathers made from green waste. The project focused on assessing the material’s performance, scalability, and manufacturing capabilities, aiming to produce 500 sqm of Treekind® for product applications.

The aim of the Full Circle Textiles Project – Polyester (FCTP-P) is to validate and scale promising technologies in polyester chemical recycling and to encourage financing and offtake commitments in the fashion industry. The project builds on the framework and lessons of the Full Circle Textiles Project – Cellulosics (FCTP-C), which focused on investigating economically viable and scalable solutions for cellulosic chemical recycling. It brings together a consortium of stakeholders including brands, innovators, supply chain partners and catalytic funders – a structure that has proven successful in driving and scaling disruptive innovation in the industry. This is an ongoing project.

Fashion for Good alumni, Kintra Fibres produces a biopolymer which is a replacement for virgin polyester. Polybutylene succinate or PBS is a biopolymer made using industrial sugarcane as a feedstock, it is also biodegradable in aerobic conditions.

The ambition of the FCTP-C Project was to validate economically viable and scalable promising technologies in cellulosic chemical recycling from a select group of innovators to tackle these issues. Leading global organisations Laudes Foundation, Birla Cellulose, Kering, PVH Corp. and Target joined Fashion for Good to explore the disruptive solutions, with the goal of creating new fibres and garments from used clothing and ultimately drive industry-wide adoption. 

Fashion for Good launched D(R)YE Factory of the Future in January 2022 in collaboration with brand partners Kering, adidas, PVH Corp. and manufacturing partners Arvind Limited and Welspun India with the aim of validating the most promising technology combinations in pretreatment and colouration processing steps to support the widespread adoption of mostly waterless innovations within the textile industry.