Clothing Makers Study Fiber Recycling

Retailer H&M and Kering, marketer of Puma brand athletic wear, will work with the start-up Worn Again to develop a chemical-based process for recycling old polyester and cotton fiber. The partners note that global production of polyester filament and cotton fiber was 65 million metric tons last year. London-based Worn Again says its technology will be able to separate and extract polyester and cotton from old clothing to make new fabric. The company claims that the process can separate blended fibers as well as separate dyes and other contaminants from polyester and cellulose.