Circ and Primark Sign Long-Term Deal for Textile-to-Textile Recycled Polyester
Primark has entered into a long-term partnership with textile recycling company Circ to introduce recycled polyester made from textile waste into its clothing, marking the retailer's first multi-year offtake agreement with a textile-to-textile recycling company.
Under the agreement, recycled polyester produced using Circ's technology is expected to be incorporated into Primark clothing at scale from 2029. The companies have not disclosed the financial value of the agreement or the volume of material Primark has committed to purchase.
The partnership is intended to provide Circ with long-term demand as it develops its first industrial-scale textile-to-textile recycling facility, while giving Primark access to an alternative source of polyester that does not depend directly on virgin fossil feedstocks.
Tackling One of Textile Recycling's Main Technical Challenges
Circ's technology is particularly focused on polycotton, a blend of polyester and cotton that is widely used in clothing but has traditionally been difficult to recycle into new, high-quality fibres.
Blended materials present a major challenge for textile recycling because their individual components often require different recycling processes. Circ has developed a system designed to separate the polyester and cellulose contained in polycotton waste. These recovered materials can then be processed into new polyester and cellulosic textile inputs.
The company's planned commercial facility will use textile feedstock sourced from post-consumer and post-industrial waste. Circ said sourcing is expected to take place globally, including through the recovery and processing of textile waste from Europe.
For Primark, the agreement supports a broader effort to increase the share of recycled materials in its products. The retailer said recycled materials currently account for 39% of the fibres used in its clothing. Primark has also developed a Circular Product Standard that sets criteria covering durability, recyclable design and the use of recycled or more sustainably sourced fibres.
Polyester Remains a Major Challenge for Fashion
The agreement comes as the fashion industry continues to rely heavily on polyester derived from fossil fuels.
According to Textile Exchange's Materials Market Report 2026, global fibre production reached a record 139 million tonnes in 2025. Polyester represented 59% of total production, with approximately 82.5 million tonnes produced during the year. Around 72.8 million tonnes, or 88%, was virgin fossil-based polyester.
Recycled polyester production increased to approximately 9.7 million tonnes in 2025, but its share of overall polyester production remained around 12%.
More significantly for the Circ and Primark agreement, most recycled polyester is not currently made from old clothing. Textile Exchange estimates that 97% of recycled polyester produced globally in 2025 came from plastic bottles and other non-textile sources. Only around 3% of recycled polyester production came from textile feedstocks.
Across all fibre types, textile-to-textile recycled fibres represented only around 0.76% of global fibre production in 2025.
This distinction is important because converting plastic bottles into clothing can reduce demand for virgin polyester, but it does not create a closed-loop textile system. Textile-to-textile recycling instead aims to retain materials within the clothing supply chain, potentially allowing old garments and manufacturing scraps to become feedstock for new textiles.
Long-Term Purchasing Agreements Could Support Recycling Capacity
One of the main barriers to expanding advanced textile recycling is establishing commercial plants at sufficient scale while securing reliable demand for their output.
For recycling technology providers, multi-year purchasing agreements can provide greater certainty that material produced by new facilities will have buyers. For retailers, such agreements can secure future access to recycled fibres as demand increases and regulations place greater emphasis on product circularity.
Circ has been developing a wider network of commercial partnerships around its technology. In recent years, the company has announced agreements involving fashion groups, textile manufacturers and fibre producers as it works to establish supply chains for both recycled polyester and regenerated cellulosic materials.
The Primark agreement nevertheless remains several years from large-scale implementation. The first significant test will come as Circ moves from technology development and partnerships toward industrial production, while Primark integrates the resulting material into products at volumes compatible with its value-focused business model.
Regulatory Pressure is also Increasing
The commercial push toward textile recycling is occurring alongside tighter circular economy requirements, particularly in the European Union.
EU Member States have been required to establish separate collection systems for textiles since January 2025. A revised Waste Framework Directive that entered into force in October 2025 also introduced common rules requiring Member States to establish extended producer responsibility schemes for textiles and footwear. Producers will ultimately contribute financially to the collection, sorting, reuse and recycling of products they place on the market.
The EU is also using product policy to encourage durability, recyclability and reduced waste. From July 2026, large companies are prohibited from destroying unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear under rules linked to the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.
Against this backdrop, access to commercially available textile-to-textile recycled fibres could become increasingly relevant to retailers seeking to reduce virgin material use while adapting to circular economy requirements.
The Circ and Primark agreement does not by itself resolve the wider challenges facing textile recycling. Commercial-scale capacity remains limited, textile waste streams are complex, and recycled materials must compete on cost and performance with established virgin fibres.
However, the multi-year commitment provides a concrete example of a major retailer establishing future demand for recycled material made directly from textile waste. Its significance will ultimately depend on whether Circ can successfully scale production and whether Primark can incorporate the material into high-volume clothing at the price and quality required for its market.
Source:
Cut through the green tape
We don't push agendas. At Net Zero Compare, we cut through the hype and fear to deliver the straightforward facts you need for making informed decisions on green products and services. Whether motivated by compliance, customer demands, or a real passion for the environment, you’re welcome here. We provide reliable information. Why you seek it is not our concern.