Reju and Cibutex Form Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Textile Recycling
In a groundbreaking move towards sustainability, Reju™, a leading textile-to-textile regeneration firm, has partnered with Cibutex, a cooperative focused on establishing a sustainable textile supply chain. This strategic alliance aims to create a circular ecosystem among the member companies of Cibutex, leading to enhanced recycling and production processes for textiles.
Through this partnership, Reju will receive feedstock comprised of secondary raw materials that originate from post-consumer textile waste. This material will be essential for the recycling process that produces the innovative Reju Polyester™. This type of polyester is crafted with a remarkable 50% lower carbon footprint compared to conventional virgin polyester and can undergo an infinite regeneration process. As part of the collaboration, the materials sourced from Cibutex's member companies will be processed at Reju's Regeneration Hub Zero located in Frankfurt, Germany, which is set to commence operations in 2025.
Cibutex operates by uniting various companies in the textile service sector, gathering and transforming post-use business textiles into valuable raw materials for the production cycle. By doing so, it aims to effectively close the loop on business textile production to ensure responsible usage and disposal. The partnership with Reju reinforces this commitment, as it utilizes Reju's cutting-edge regeneration technology to guarantee traceability and scalability of the production process—a crucial aspect of developing a truly sustainable and circular textile supply chain.
Patrik Frisk, the CEO of Reju, expressed enthusiasm over the collaboration: "Reju and Cibutex are uniting efforts to spearhead the transition toward a circular ecosystem for business textiles. The unique methodology adopted by Cibutex to mobilize its member companies aligns seamlessly with Reju's goal of textile regeneration on a grand scale. Together, we are striving to address the pressing issues associated with textile waste, establishing an infrastructure to prevent valuable resources from succumbing to landfills and incineration, all while effectively minimizing the carbon footprint of the industry."
Jan Lamme, CEO at Cibutex, echoed Frisk’s sentiments, stating, "Our cooperative was founded with the essence of promoting a circular economy in textiles. Collaborating with Reju enhances our capabilities in reintegrating business textiles back into the production framework, achieving the critical traceability and quality necessary for sustainable practices. This partnership marks a pivotal moment in advancing our vision of a closed-loop supply chain within the textile service industry."
The combined initiatives of Reju and Cibutex showcase the power of collective creativity and innovation in combating the rising challenge of textile waste. With the new legislation by the European Union concerning textile waste collection set into effect this year, alongside impending regulations in the United States, the timing of this partnership is pivotal, ensuring the development of scalable solutions aimed at fulfilling regulatory standards while advancing toward a more sustainable future.
About Cibutex: Founded in March 2022 in the Netherlands, Cibutex is a cooperative initiative launched by notable enterprises, including Blycolin Textile Services, Dibella, Edelweiss Groep, Lamme Textile Management, and Nedlin. This cooperative unites textile service companies across Europe, advocating for increased circularity in the textile supply chain and striving for innovative, future-oriented solutions.
About Reju: Reju is a pioneering materials regeneration firm focused on generating sustainable solutions for recycling polyester textiles and PET waste. In partnership with Technip Energies and leveraging technology developed from IBM research, Reju is dedicated to establishing a global ecosystem for textile recycling, addressing the widespread challenge of PET plastic infiltrating textiles. To learn more about their initiatives, visit their website at https://www.reju.com/.