The “Polycotton” Challenge

By admin3485, 2 February 2026

Circ is setting up operations in France to establish its first global industrial-scale textile waste recycling plant, utilizing its patented hydrothermal process.

The new facility is to process up to 70,000 tonnes of waste textiles each year starting in 2028

Circ will invest approximately €450 million ($500 million) to build a state-of-the-art industrial facility in Saint-Avold (Moselle, Grand Est region); the plant will process up to 70,000 tonnes of textile waste annually.

The technology developed by Circ operates on the principle of a giant pressure cooker. It uses hot, pressurized water combined with mild chemistry to separate components without degrading them. The “Polycotton” Challenge Until now, garments made from cotton-polyester blends (polycotton, which accounts for the majority of the clothing market) have been extremely difficult to recycle. Polyester is liquefied: Under heat and pressure, the polyester breaks down (depolymerization) into liquid base monomers—PTA (terephthalic acid) and MEG (monoethylene glycol). These liquids are then purified to recreate recycled polyester fibers of a quality identical to virgin plastic. Cotton is preserved: Cotton fibers remain intact in solid form. They are recovered and transformed into cellulose pulp—a raw material ready for industrial reuse to manufacture new eco-friendly textile fibers such as Lyocell or Viscose.

The future of circular fashion

Thanks to this advanced chemical process, Circ aims to prevent millions of garments from being incinerated or sent to landfills by reintroducing these materials directly into the circular fashion loop.