The fashion industry has long thrived on speed, scale, and relentless turnover. But the model that once powered its growth - a linear chain of take, make, dispose - is now colliding with hard limits. The global fashion industry is valued between $1.7 and $2.3 trillion, employing more than 300 million people worldwide - and its environmental footprint is massive. Each year the sector is responsible for producing over 100 billion garments, of which an estimated 92 million tons end up as waste, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme.

Meanwhile, textile production alone contributes around 1.2 billion tons of CO2-equivalent emissions annually - more than the emissions from international flights and maritime shipping combined. The industry consumes 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, largely driven by fiber cultivation, dyeing, and finishing processes. As climate urgency and pressure intensifies from regulators, investors, supply chain disruptions - and increasingly, from consumers - fashion’s traditional linear model of “take-make-dispose” is no longer tenable.

The conversation around circular fashion - designing garments for recovery, reuse, and reintegration - has gained momentum over the past decade. Once treated as a sustainability aspiration - now it is moving to the center of how textiles are designed, manufactured, and recovered. This is not about marketing angle anymore, a trend or positioning, obviously. Circularity today is a direct response to growing environmental pressure, human impact across the value chain, and the urgent need to reduce waste, emissions, and resource and raw material extraction at scale. But while the concept has become familiar, the question of implementation remains: What does circularity actually require? And who is building it?

This article is written to find an answer to that. Not by pointing to promises, but to the physical systems already being put in place - where design meets infrastructure, and where waste is not just managed, but redefined. Because let’s face this: circularity, at scale, demands more than better intentions. It requires the machinery to support a new kind of flow: clothing that is designed for recovery, collected after use, and returned to the supply chain in a usable form. That means everything from finer innovation and garment construction to sorting facilities, reverse logistics, and digital traceability.

Some companies are already building that system. In Switzerland, Tell-Tex manages a national infrastructure for the collection and redirection of post-consumer textiles - treating used clothing not as waste, but as raw material. Also based in Switzerland, Climatex is working further upstream, developing fabrics, threads, and construction methods designed for disassembly and fiber-lever recovery. And in the United States, California-based SuperCircle is building the operational backbone for circularity in the retail space - managing brand take-back programs and linking consumer returns to verified recycling and resale partners.

From Soil to Fiber

But this shift is not just about emissions reduction or material reuse. It is about restructuring how fashion is made. And that work begins long before a garment is worn, or even designed. True circularity starts at the source: in the soil. Most textile inputs - whether plant-based fibers such as cotton, flax (linen), and hemp, regenerated cellulose fibers like viscose, lyocell, and modal; or animal-derived fibers including wool, alpaca, and silk - are products of agricultural or silvicultural systems. Their cultivation and extraction rely on soil health, water availability, biodiversity, and land-use practices, all of which directly influence the environmental impact and scalability of textile production. As such, any credible model of circular fashion must begin with the biological foundation of the supply chain - not simply how materials are reused, but in how they are grown, sourced, and selected to align with regenerative ecological principles.

One of the most systematically implemented models linking regenerative agriculture with textile production is the regional fiber systems framework developed by Fibershed, a nonprofit organization based in Northern California. This model integrates fiber cultivation, processing, and manufacturing within defined bioregions, with a focus on minimizing ecological impact and maximizing material traceability. A central component is the Carbon Farming Program, established in collaboration with the Marin Carbon Project and researchers affiliated with ecosystem ecologist Whendee Silver and her research group at the University of California, Berkeley, UC Davis, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The program applies science-based metrics - including life cycle assessment (LCA), soil carbon flux modelling, and compost application analysis - to evaluate and verify the climate benefits of specific land management interventions. Fibershed works with producers of cotton, hemp, flax, and animal fibers such as wool and alpaca, supporting land management practices that increase soil organic matter, sequester atmospheric carbon, and restore degraded ecosystems. In the case of animal fibers, this includes the application of regenerative grazing - that are designed to improve pasture health, enhance water retention, and promote biodiversity. These practices are grounded in long-term field trials and soil carbon modelling.

The model is grounded in peer-reviewed, published ecological science and has moved beyond research into widespread on-farm application, supplying fiber to regional mills, designers, and regenerative clothing brands.

Some major fashion conglomerates have also begun to engage with regenerative land-use practices. Kering, for instance, launched the Regenerative Fund for Nature in 2021 in partnership with Conservation International, with the sated objective of converting one million hectares of land - used for cotton, wool, cashmere, and leather production - to regenerative agriculture by 2026. The fund operates as a grant-based mechanism, distributing $300,000 to $600,000 per projects to farmers, cooperatives, and NGOs across countries including South Africa, Argentina, India, Mongolia, Spain, and France. It supports interventions such as rotational grazing, cover cropping, compost application, and biodiversity protection. A multi-level governance structure, including scientific advisory input, has been established to oversee monitoring and evaluation across soil health, climate, weather, and livelihoods.

However, publicly available information remains limited - particularly regarding the geographic precision of implementation, the methodologies used to access ecological outcomes, and the extent to which regenerative claims are independently verified. As a global luxury conglomerate with complex and internationalized supply chains, Kering faces structural constraints around full traceability of raw materials. Industry observers, including Vogue Business and Business of Fashion, have noted that the scale of these regenerative programs remains modest relative to the company’s total sourcing footprint. Moreover, concerns persist that terminology such as “regenerative” may serve as a reputational tool in the absence of transparent, third-party evaluation and measurable systemic change.

Design Determines Destiny - Materials, Construction, and Product Lifecycles

If soil defines the biological starting point of a garment, it is the decisions made in the design and production phases that determine whether that garment can ultimately be recovered or regenerated. Fiber selection, fabric construction, chemical processing, and product assembly all shape a material’s end-of-life potential. In circular fashion systems, design plays a structural role: the materials and construction methods chosen at this stage determine whether a garment can later be disassembled, recycled, or safely biodegraded. So, the compatibility of a product with recycling or biodegradation is determined long before manufacturing even begins.

Material composition plays a particularly decisive role. Most industrial garments are composed of blended fibers - polyester-cotton mixes, elastane-infused synthetics, or chemically finished naturals - that persist both mechanical recycling and safe biodegradation. In contrast, mono-material textiles, such as 100% cotton, wool, or lyocell, are more likely to enter closed-loop recycling streams or decompose safely when composted. Yet even these materials must be processed and dyed using chemistries that do not inhibit recovery or contaminate soil cycles, a requirement that remains unmet in much of conventional production.

Construction methods further influence whether a garment can be disassembled and sorted for reuse or recycling. Muli-layered fabrics, glued seams, and blended threads present technical obstacles for textile sorters and recyclers. Zippers, snaps, and buttons, often made from materials incompatible with fiber recovery systems, pose contamination risks or require labor-intensive removal. By contrast, garments designed with mechanical fastenings, stitch patterns optimized for removal, or modular panels enable cleaner material separation. A small but growing group of fashion design studios and manufacturers are adopting “design for disassembly” as a core principle. A design methodology that makes it easier to take a product apart at the end of its life, so its individual components can be reused, recycled, or biodegraded - without contamination or excessive labor.

Beyond the garment itself, the surrounding production system influences the fate of the material. Water-intensive dyeing methods, chemical finishing agents, and synthetic treatments often introduce toxins that hinder recyclability or soil regeneration. Moreover, production waste - offcuts, trimmings, and surplus inventory - remains largely unmanaged in most global supply chains. Emerging models such as on-demand manufacturing, closed-loop dye systems, dead stock sourcing, and digital prototyping offer more controlled and efficient alternatives, but they are not yet widely scaled.

Ultimately, circularity requires a design logic in which the afterlife of a garment is embedded in its first sketch. Material choice, construction technique, and processing chemistry are foundational, but they are not the only determinants of recoverability. Smart design - understood not only as technical simplicity but also as aesthetic durability - extends the usable life of garments and increases the likelihood of reuse. Patterns that accommodate diverse body types, modular fits that adjust over time, and visual language that resists trend cycles all contribute to a product’s circular potential. Without these considerations, even the most materially compatible garment may be discarder prematurely. In this sense, the middle of the system - where fabric is selected, silhouettes are shaped, and garments are made - is not an intermediary step, but the structural core of whether fashion can become regenerative in practice.

Categorising materials by fiber composition, color, condition (© of the original picture belongs to the rightful owner)

Tell-Tex: Industrial-Scale Recovery in Practice

The success of circular fashion depends not only on how the soil is treated and the garments are made, but on whether they can be recovered, reprocessed, and reintegrated after use. Yet this phase of the system - often referred to as “end-of-life” - remains one of the least developed and most technically complex. Globally, less than 1% of post-consumer clothing is recycled into new garments, and the vast majority of textiles continue to be down cycled, incinerated, or landfilled. Closing this gap requires more than consumer awareness or design innovation; it demands logistical and industrial infrastructure capable of managing textiles at volume, with precision, and across fragmented supply chains.

Tell-Tex AG, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Buchs, Switzerland, is one of the country’s largest operators in post-consumer textile collection and sorting. The company manages an extensive national network of approximately 3,650 textile drop-off points, processing between 60,000 and 110,000 tons of used clothing annually. This represents a substantial share - estimated at over 55% - of Switzerland’s total post-consumer textile stream. Materials are sorted and redistributed to secondary markets: around 58% is exported to Western Europe, 37% percent to Eastern Europe, and the remainder is processed domestically or routed to specialized partners. The company operates independently and under contract with municipalities, NGO’s, and commercial partners, allowing for year-round textile intake at a national scale.

Tell-Tex applies a multistage manual and semi-automated sorting process, categorizing materials by fiber composition, color, condition, and downstream use potential. Approximately 60% of the collected textiles meet resale-grade quality and are redistributed through secondhand retail channels. Damaged or lower-grade items are downcycled into industrial materials such as wiping cloths, insulation, or non woven applications, while a minimal share - typically less than 5% - is sent to thermal energy recovery. Textiles are sorted into over 60 categories to optimize resource recovery, with separate channels for natural fibers, synthetics, and blended fabrics through fiber-to-fiber recycling is not yet widely applied across incoming volumes.

In 2024, Tell-Tex announced a major expansion effort: the construction of Switzerland’s first fully automated textile recycling facility, slated to open in 2026 in St. Margarethen. Designed in collaboration with Rematters Textile Recycling Solutions, the facility will be capable of processing 20,000 tons of textiles annually and is backed by an investment of CHF 40 million. The site will integrate mechanical sorting, digital traceability tools, and fiber-to-fiber recycling infrastructure, with the goal of retaining more material within circular loops - particularly workwear, unforms, and hospitality-sector textiles that are currently difficult or even impossible to recycle.

Climatex: between material innovation and garment construction (Screenshot of the Climatex website © Edie Lou)

Climatex: Material Innovation

Where Tell-Tex focuses on post-consumer recovery, Climatex operates upstream - at the interface between material innovation and garment construction. Based in Switzerland, Altendorf, Climatex has developed a proprietary design philosophy centered on disassembly and recyclability. The company produces mono-material and biocompatible fabrics engineered to facilitate clean separation of fibers during recycling. This includes technologies such as Stitchlock™, a thread that responds to heat, water and pressure to allow garment to fall apart during disassembly, and Dualcycle™, a system for separating blended fabrics without chemical solvents.

Climatex’s approach exemplifies what circularity looks like at the material level. Unlike traditional textiles, which often combine incompatible fibers, adhesives, and finishes, Climatex fabrics are constructed for separation and reuse. Materials are selected not only for durability but also for their compatibility with recovery processes -whether mechanical recycling, composting, or closed-loop reuse. The company maintains transparency on fiber origin, chemical processing, and potential end-of-life scenarios for all its products, enabling greater traceability and accountability across the value chain.

Climatex functions as a materials supplier across sectors including architecture, interiors, industrial design, and apparel. This business-to-business model enables greater control over finer selection and material specification, and it embeds circular principles within the early stages of industrial procurement. All Climatex products are Cradle to Cradle Certified© and adhere to a rigorous evaluation framework that includes chemical safety, water stewardship, energy and carbon management, and social fairness. The company also collaborates with local Swiss textile mills and finishing partners to ensure full traceability across the supply chain - a critical but often missing component in circular production claims.

Climatex offers a tangible demonstration of how circularity can be implemented at the level of material design, rather than deferred to end-of-life waste management. Its work shows that fiber recovery and recyclability are not secondary technical challenges, but must be treated as primary design parameters embedded in the structure and chemistry of the fabric itself. However, the broader adoption of these approaches is limited by factors such as production inertia, cost differences, and the lack of strong regulatory incentives for circular-ready materials. Climatex makes clear that the viability of circular fashion systems depends on more than just recovery infrastructure. If circular fashion is to succeed, innovation must begin with the structural and molecular logic of the material, not waste management.

SuperCircle: The Take-Back System

Complementing the material and industrial focus of the Swiss models, SuperCircle, headquartered in New York City, addresses a different infrastructural barrier: the logistical and digital coordination of garment return. Founded in 2021 by Chloe Songer and Stuart Ahlum - SuperCircle was created to address a critical bottleneck in circular fashion: the absence of scalable systems for returning, sorting, and rerouting post-consumer garments. The platform enables brands to implement take-back programs through both in-store and mail-in collection, providing the backend operations needed to recover textiles from distributed customer networks. Returned items are sorted based on fiber type, wear condition, and reuse potential, and are then directed to resale, donation, or recycling partners as appropriate.

What distinguishes SuperCircle is not only its handling of physical garments, but also its integration of digital infrastructure. The company offers brand clients a suite of tools for product traceability, emissions accounting, and customer engagement, allowing for both compliance with emerging ESG frameworks and the ability to demonstrate lifecycle responsibility. By aggregating textile returns across multiple fashion partners, SuperCircle creates efficiencies of scale that are rarely accessible to small or mid-sized brands working independently. In doing so, it transforms circularity from a bespoke, resource-intensive initiative into a shared service model - one that reduces entry barriers and builds sector-wide capacity.

Although SuperCircle remains in a phase of rapid scaling, its model responds to a persistent structural weakness in the U.S. fashion ecosystem: the fragmentation of post-consumer collection and the lack of unified reverse logistics. Unlike Europe, where national or municipal systems support textile take-back, most U.S. brands operate without integrated infrastructure for end-of-life garments. SuperCircle’s platform directly addresses this gap by coupling logistics with data visibility - two prerequisites for circular material flows. As regulatory momentum builds around extended producer responsibility (EPR) and textile recovery, such systems are poised to become foundational to any credible circular strategy.

Wear It Like You Mean It (© of the picture & design Edie Lou)

Wear It Like You Mean It: The Cultural Shift We Need

The emergence of circular fashion systems - from soil-based fiber cultivation to post-consumer garment return - marks a fundamental shift in how the industry engages with material responsibility. Each phase described in this article highlights a structural intervention: regenerative agriculture, disassembly-oriented design, scaled recovery infrastructure, and coordinated logistics. These developments form the foundation of a new industrial architecture - one that seeks not just to reduce harm, but to design for continuation.

The development of robust systems for managing textile waste - from fiber-level recycling to reverse logistics - is both impressive and necessary. These infrastructures represent important progress and are essential for any viable circular economy. But the complexity and investment required to manage post-consumer textiles also highlights a deeper tension. These systems are being developed to address the consequences of excess - not necessarily to prevent it. Without corresponding shifts in production volumes and consumption patterns, circularity risks becoming a compensatory framework: mitigating symptoms rather than addressing structural causes. The challenge is to ensure that circular infrastructure supports, rather than substitutes for, more fundamental change. It must enable not only recovery, but also reduction, durability, and long-term engagement with the garments we produce and wear.

That the ability to manage textile waste is now becoming a competitive advantage underscores a deeper systemic imbalance. It reflects the normalization of excess - where the generation of waste is not seen as an anomaly, but as a predictable outcome to be capitalized upon. While infrastructure for recovery and recycling is critical under current conditions, the long-term objective of circular fashion must be to reduce reliance on such systems, not to expand them indefinitely. A genuinely regenerative model would generate value not by managing waste, but by minimizing its production - through fewer garments, longer use, and stronger relationships between people and their clothing. The fact that waste recovery has become a domain of competitive advantage is a sign of both progress and limitation: it shows what is possible within the current system, and what remains necessary to move beyond it.

Achieving a truly circular fashion system will require aligned change on both sides of the value chain. For designers and brands, this presents a powerful opportunity to lead through innovation: by eliminating unrecyclable fiber blends, prioritizing deadstock, and mono-material inputs, adopting pre-order or made-to-order models to avoid excess inventory, and applying digital tools and AI to minimize prototyping waste. These are not distant ideals - they are actionable practices already within reach. At the same time, consumers play a vital role. Choosing fewer, longer-lasting garments, and buying with intention rather than impulse, are among the most impactful decisions individuals can make. A shift toward mindful consumption - rooted in identity, utility, and care - complements and reinforces systemic change. Purchasing garments should not be framed as casual shopping anyway, but as a parallel act of investment: one that honors the work behind the garment and its origin. The soil.

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