M&S has become the first UK brand to join Circulose as a Scaling Partner, marking a step forward in the retailer’s commitment to circularity in its fashion supply chain.
The partnership will see M&S integrate CIRCULOSE® - a next-generation material made of 100% textile waste - into select products, helping to reduce reliance on virgin fibres and accelerate the shift to circular design at scale.
CIRCULOSE® is produced through a patented process that transforms discarded textiles, including production waste and textiles that can no longer be resold or used, into a high-performance material, helping reduce waste, lower emissions, and ease pressure on forests and land.
Katharine Beacham, Head of Sustainability and Materials in Fashion at M&S, said: "Partnering with Circulose allows us to put the concept of circular design into action and will be an example of how the industry can move from small-scale pilots to incorporating next-generation materials at a greater scale.
“By integrating circular materials into our sourcing strategy, we will be reducing reliance on virgin fibres, cutting waste, and helping to build a fashion industry that’s fit for the future.”
Jonatan Janmark, CEO of Circulose, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome M&S as our first Scaling Partner in the UK. Their leadership in sustainability and commitment to circular fashion plays an important role in accelerating adoption of next-generation fibres. This partnership is one of several we are building with leading global brands, with more set to join soon.”
The collaboration builds on M&S’s commitment to become a net zero business across its value chain by 2040 and complements the retailer’s broader work under its Another Life initiative, which brings together initiatives across Rewear, Repair, Recycle and Resale - including resale partnerships with eBay and Reskinned, and a repair service with SOJO.
Katharine added: “This is an exciting next step in our journey to become a net zero business by 2040 and a great example of the ambition behind our Plan A - Another Life initiative.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor
Since 2023, M&S has taken part in the UKFT ACT UK (Automatic-sorting for Circularity in Textiles) project, which aims to develop a blueprint for an advanced, automated textile sorting and pre-processing facility for none-rewearable textiles in the UK.
In April 2024, M&S launched a post-consumer collection trial in partnership with Oxfam to help its customers donate unwearable, but too-good-to-waste clothing, alongside their pre-loved wearable clothing. The online postal donation service saw over 9,700 bags ordered in the first three months. The trial collected over seven tonnes of post-consumer textiles.
About Circulose
Circulose is a Swedish sustain-tech company that has developed a patented process, which enables the recycling of cellulosic textile waste, transforming it into a new material called CIRCULOSE®. Fast Company named Circulose (formerly Renewcell) one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2021 and was a winner of the 2023 World Changing Ideas Awards. CIRCULOSE® was also included on TIME Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Inventions 2020. Founded by innovators from Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology in 2012, the award-winning company’s vision is to make fashion circular. To learn more please visit www.circulose.com.
2025 Fashion, Home & Beauty Sustainability