Reju and Cibutex Join Forces to Create a Circular Textile Ecosystem

Collaboration for a Sustainable Future

In a significant step towards sustainability, Reju™, a pioneering textile regeneration company, and Cibutex, a cooperative focused on creating a more sustainable textile supply chain, have announced a partnership to develop a circular textile ecosystem. This collaboration aims to promote responsible consumption by recycling post-consumer textile waste into valuable raw materials.

The partnership will supply Reju with secondary raw materials from the textile waste collected by Cibutex member companies. Using advanced recycling technologies, Reju will transform this waste into Reju Polyester™, a material that boasts a carbon footprint 50% lower than that of conventional polyester and can be regenerated infinitely. This innovative approach ensures that valuable resources are kept out of landfills and incinerators, progressing the industry towards reduction in waste and carbon loss.

Reju has established itself as a leader in developing infrastructure for large-scale textile waste regeneration, focusing on polyester as its first target. The materials collected by Cibutex will be processed at the upcoming Regeneration Hub Zero in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, set to be operational by 2025, establishing a central hub for textile recycling.

Cibutex's extensive network encompasses companies in the textile services sector engaged in the collection and processing of post-use textiles. By collaborating with Reju, Cibutex aims to reinsert used textiles into the production cycle, promoting a closed-loop system where waste materials are transformed into valuable resources for future manufacturing.

Patrik Frisk, CEO of Reju, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “Reju and Cibutex are joining forces to lead the way in creating a circular textile ecosystem. Cibutex’s unique approach to mobilizing member companies aligns perfectly with Reju's mission to regenerate textiles on a large scale. Together, we tackle the issue of textile waste while building an infrastructure that conserves valuable resources.”

Jan Lamme, CEO of Cibutex, emphasized their cooperative's foundational goal of fostering a circular textile economy. He remarked, “The partnership with Reju enhances our capability to return used textiles back into the production cycle, ensuring the traceability and quality necessary for a sustainable future. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in realizing our vision of a closed supply chain in the textile services sector.”

The collaboration between Reju and Cibutex underscores the power of innovation and creativity in addressing the pressing issue of textile waste. With the EU's mandate for textile waste collection coming into effect this year, along with anticipated new regulations in the United States, this initiative arrives at a critical juncture to offer scalable solutions that meet these evolving demands.

About Cibutex

Cibutex, based in the Netherlands, was founded in March 2022 by leading companies in the textile services sector such as Blycolin Textile Services, Dibella, Edelweiss Groep, Lamme Textile Management, and Nedlin. This initiative is committed to a more circular approach in textile supply chains, harnessing the strengths and expertise of the participating companies to advocate for forward-looking solutions in the industry.

About Reju

Reju is focused on material regeneration, aiming to create innovative solutions for recycling polyester textiles and PET waste. Owned by Technip Energies, Reju utilizes technology developed from IBM research, striving to establish a global circular ecosystem for textile recycling that addresses the challenges posed by PET plastics in textiles. For more information, visit Reju's Official Website.