Reju Unveils Innovative Augmented Reality Experience at NYC Climate Week

Reju™, a leader in textile regeneration, is taking a bold step forward in addressing the global crisis of textile waste through an eye-opening augmented reality (AR) experience set to launch during Climate Week NYC 2025. This initiative, which kicks off on September 22, aims to shed light on the staggering amount of textile waste generated worldwide, integrating storytelling with technology to engage and educate attendees and the general public alike.

A Shocking Visual Experience

As attendees visit iconic landmarks in New York City, such as the Empire State Building and the Flatiron Building, they will encounter an impactful AR overlay that superimposes mountains of textile waste over these famous structures. This technique provides a visceral representation of the textile industry’s shocking waste statistics. According to Textile Exchange, over 92 million tons of textile waste are generated each year globally, with a significant portion ending up in landfills or being incinerated. Reju's technology, backed by IBM’s research, aims to transform this situation by recovering and regenerating textiles, closing the loop on these materials at the end of their life cycle.

Interactive Engagement for All

Throughout Climate Week, New Yorkers will find QR codes placed at high-traffic locations near key events. By scanning these codes, participants can access an interactive microsite. On this site, they will point their phone cameras at the two iconic buildings to activate Reju’s AR filter. As they navigate through the AR interface, users will witness real-time statistics on global textile waste being generated every second, minute, hour, and day — scaled to the size of the monuments before them.

Patrik Frisk, CEO of Reju, emphasized the importance of this AR experience. "It highlights the invisible textile waste problem right in the heart of New York City during a week dedicated to climate action," he stated. "This is both a wake-up call and a beacon of hope. Reju is precisely aimed at transforming waste into high-quality materials, thereby closing the sustainability loop in fashion and beyond."

Going Beyond Awareness

Designed to meet audiences where they are, the AR activation encourages New Yorkers and visitors to participate by scanning QR codes that they might encounter on social media or near famous landmarks, thus immersing themselves in the AR experience. Users can record videos of their experience and share their content across social media platforms. This campaign also collaborates with influential partners who will share videos showcasing the AR filter in action, inspiring followers to find the landmarks, try the filter themselves, and generate their own user content, thus amplifying the conversation around textile waste and sustainability.

To join in on the experience, attendees at Climate Week and the public are encouraged to follow @Reju on social media and visit https://ar.reju.com/. After experiencing the AR filter, consumers are invited to share their images with the hashtag #RejuClimateWeek, learn more about textile regeneration, and sign up to participate in Reju's movement towards a circular textile economy.

About Reju

Reju is pioneering material regeneration, focusing on creating innovative solutions for recycling polyester textiles and post-consumer PET waste. With backing from Technip Energies and IBM Research, Reju is dedicated to uncovering infinite possibilities with finite resources, aiming to establish a global circular textile recycling system that regenerates and recycles polyester textiles. For more information, visit https://www.reju.com/.