The Circuit will develop UK textile-sorting and recycling pathways, with its first phase scheduled to begin at Oxfam’s Batley site in January 2027.
LONDON, UK – New Look, Marks & Spencer (M&S), Sainsbury’s and Oxfam have partnered with Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems to launch The Circuit, a collaborative initiative designed to develop circular textile value chains from UK-generated end-of-use clothing. The programme brings together retailers, textile recovery organisations, automated sorting providers, recyclers, digital innovators and manufacturers.
The initiative aims to create practical pathways for non-reusable post-consumer textiles to be recovered, sorted and pre-processed into raw materials for existing and emerging fibre-to-fibre recycling technologies. The partners are seeking to develop the scale, consistency and commercial frameworks required to make textile-to-textile recycling more viable.
Around 1.4 million tonnes of post-consumer textiles were generated in the UK in 2024, with almost half estimated to consist of materials that could not be reused. The Circuit has been established in response to the need for additional infrastructure capable of recovering valuable fibres from these materials.
The project will examine both mechanical and chemical recycling routes, with recovered textile materials intended to become feedstock for regional and global textile manufacturing. The initiative will also explore multiple routes to market for recovered materials, helping participating retailers understand how recycled fibres can be incorporated into future supply chains.
Circle-8 will lead the development of infrastructure, partnerships and commercial frameworks connecting textile recovery with future circular material supply. This includes planned Automated Textile Sorting and Pre-processing facilities, which will prepare recovered textiles for recycling processes.
The first phase of The Circuit is scheduled to begin in January 2027 at Oxfam’s site in Batley, Yorkshire. Initial activities will include automated textile sorting, improved traceability and reporting, identification of circular material opportunities and development of relationships with recycling partners.
Oxfam will separate reusable and non-reusable textiles and operate the automated sorting equipment, building on its established experience in textile recovery and reuse. The organisation has also highlighted the need for additional solutions for clothing that can no longer be worn or reused.
M&S is participating through its wider Plan A for Another Life strategy, which includes rewear, repair, resale and recycling. The company has set an ambition to give 5 million items another life by 2030 and is also investing in textile-to-textile recycling and related infrastructure.
For Sainsbury’s Tu Clothing and New Look, the collaboration provides an opportunity to test practical approaches for recovering post-consumer textiles and developing more circular supply chains. The initiative is intended to generate operational knowledge that can support expansion beyond the initial phase.
The founding participants are also joined by development and recycling partners, including Biffa, Ekman Group, Usha Yarns, Kipas, Reju and Worn Again Technologies. The Circuit is expected to explore further participation from retailers, recyclers and other organisations across the textile value chain.
By connecting collection, sorting, pre-processing and recycling with textile manufacturers, The Circuit aims to establish a more integrated pathway for UK end-of-use clothing. The project could provide additional infrastructure and commercial models for converting discarded textiles into new raw materials for the textile industry.