Zara teams with U.S. innovator to create 1st collection made from polycotton waste

Zara's parent company last year made an investment in a circular technology that made its debut at Milan Design Week a few days ago.

The fast fashion retailer teamed with textile recycling firm Circ to release a line of women's apparel made with recycled polyester and cotton fibers, addressing one of the textile industry's biggest recycling challenges: blended textiles.

The Circ x Zara collection features lyocell garments made with 50% recycled poly/cotton waste, and polyester garments made with 43% recycled poly/cotton waste.

Virginia-based Circ has developed a hydrothermal process that liquefies the polyester, before heat and pressure separate the liquid polymer from the solid cotton to reclaim the cellulosic and synthetic materials. The recycled cotton is turned into fluffy flakes before becoming a pulp that can be subbed in for wood pulp, which makes up traditional lyocell. Meanwhile, the polyester content can be pelletized and extruded into new fibers.

Last month, Circ closed a $25 million round of funding with European retail conglomerate Zalando, sportswear producer Youngone and digital labels maker Avery Dennison. It plans to use the capital to scale up its production facilities.

Inditex, Zara's parent company, made an investment in Circ in 2022 by taking part in a $30 million Series B funding round alongside Bill Gates-­backed Breakthrough Energy Ventures and South Carolina textile manufacturer Milliken & Co.

The exploratory line "demonstrates that innovation in new fibers and collaboration with specialized experts are two key pillars in advancing the circularity of the textile industry," said Inditex chief sustainability officer Javier Losada.