Major UK retailers including New Look, Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Sainsbury’s have joined forces with Oxfam and Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems to launch The Circuit.
A collaborative initiative focused on strengthening textile recycling and creating new pathways for post-consumer textiles to re-enter the circular economy.
The initiative aims to develop systems for collecting, sorting and preparing textiles that are no longer suitable for reuse, turning them into feedstock for fibre-to-fibre recycling. The partners said around 1.4 million tonnes of post-consumer textiles were generated in the UK in 2024, with nearly half considered non-reusable.
The first phase of The Circuit is expected to begin in January 2027 at Oxfam’s facility in Batley, West Yorkshire. The programme will test automated textile sorting technologies, introduce reporting systems to improve material traceability and examine operating models that could be scaled across the UK.
Oxfam will operate the automated sorting equipment and separate reusable garments from textiles intended for recycling. Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems will support the development of the infrastructure and commercial frameworks required to connect textile collection and recovery with fibre-to-fibre recycling.
The project will also explore automated sorting and pre-processing facilities capable of producing suitable feedstock for both established and emerging textile recyclers. By keeping more of these activities close to where textiles reach the end of their useful life, the partners aim to create local employment and support new manufacturing opportunities.
The Circuit is expected to encourage the development of both mechanical and chemical textile recycling, helping recovered fibres return to regional and global textile supply chains. The partners believe greater collaboration between retailers, charities, recyclers and technology providers will be important to building a more effective textile recovery system.
New Look CEO Lynda Petherick said the initiative provides retailers with an opportunity to contribute to systems that could transform non-reusable textiles into future raw materials and support more resilient circular supply chains.
Oxfam Retail Director Rachel Cosgrove-Pearce said improving infrastructure for recovering valuable fibres from end-of-use textiles is an important step towards reducing reliance on virgin resources and limiting environmental impacts associated with the fashion industry.
Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems CEO and Co-founder Cyndi Rhoades said The Circuit is designed to bring together the relationships, infrastructure and commercial frameworks required to build a circular textile value chain, while encouraging additional organisations to participate.
The launch comes as the UK textile sector faces increasing pressure to improve textile recovery and recycling capacity. Through The Circuit, the participating organisations aim to demonstrate scalable approaches that can support a more circular textile economy in the UK.