Circ Partners with Huafon to Develop Textile-to-Textile Recycling Facility in China

Circ, a U.S.-based textile recycling technology company, has partnered with Huafon, a major Chinese spandex producer, to develop a multi-phase textile-to-textile recycling facility in China, according to company reports. The project will use Circ’s technology to process polycotton textile waste and recover recycled terephthalic acid (PTA), monoethylene glycol (MEG) and cellulosic pulp for use in new textiles.

Phase 1 is designed to process approximately 200 metric tons of textile waste per day, with further capacity expansion planned. The facility will be located within Huafon’s industrial footprint, combining Circ’s recycling technology with Huafon’s manufacturing infrastructure and operational capabilities.

Circ’s process is designed to separate and recover polyester and cotton components from polycotton waste, addressing a major challenge in textile recycling. Recovering both components could provide textile manufacturers with additional sources of recycled raw materials and reduce reliance on virgin inputs. Circ will contribute its network of global brands, textile manufacturers and downstream customers to support adoption of the recovered materials.

“China is at the center of global textile production, making it a critical location for scaling textile-to-textile recycling,” said Peter Majeranowski, CEO of Circ. He said Huafon’s industrial capabilities, experience and investment would support deployment and future expansion.

Huafon brings more than 30 years of experience in materials technology and chemical manufacturing and is one of the world’s largest spandex producers. The company has also expanded its international presence through the acquisition of DuPont’s former Biomaterials business, now Covation Biomaterials, which has operations in Newark, Delaware, and Kinston, North Carolina.

Huafon is investing directly in the project alongside Circ and other selected investors. Feifeng You, vice president of Huafon Group and chairman of Huafon Microfibre Shanghai Tech Co. Ltd., said the partnership would combine Circ’s recycling technology with Huafon’s industrial capabilities to produce recycled materials at commercial scale.

The project also aligns with China’s broader circular-economy and manufacturing priorities. The country’s 15th Five-Year Plan emphasizes waste recovery, resource reuse, green manufacturing and the wider use of high-quality recycled materials. These policy priorities could support the development of textile recycling infrastructure and markets for recovered fibers and chemical feedstocks.

Circ and Huafon plan to engage apparel brands, supply-chain partners and downstream buyers as the project advances. Further development phases could increase processing capacity and expand the supply of recycled materials to textile manufacturers in China and international markets.

Source: Circ

SUNSHINE Spotlight: Circ’s partnership with Huafon targets industrial-scale recycling of polycotton textile waste in China, with Phase 1 designed for 200 metric tons per day and potential expansion to supply recycled chemical feedstocks and cellulosic pulp to textile manufacturers.