Aus der Branche

Das Bundesumweltministerium hat am 14. Oktober im Rahmen eines Dialogforums unter Beteiligung von Bundesumweltminister Carsten Schneider den Entwurf des Aktionsprogramms der Nationalen Kreislaufwirtschaft (NKWS) vorgestellt.

Das Programm bündelt priorisierte Maßnahmen aus der Nationalen Kreislaufwirtschaftsstrategie, die bis Ende 2027 umgesetzt werden sollen, und setzt damit einen zentralen Auftrag des Koalitionsvertrages um: kurzfristig realisierbare Schritte zur Schließung von Stoffkreisläufen zu definieren.

Für den bvse-Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung nahm Hauptgeschäftsführer Eric Rehbock am Dialogforum in Berlin teil. Der Verband begrüßt den Entwurf ausdrücklich, sieht jedoch in mehreren Punkten erheblichen Nachbesserungsbedarf.

„Mit dem Aktionsprogramm wird ein wichtiger Impuls gesetzt, um die Kreislaufwirtschaft in Deutschland weiter zu stärken“, betont bvse-Hauptgeschäftsführer Eric Rehbock. „Aber entscheidende Rahmenbedingungen, die Recycling und Ressourcenschutz wirklich voranbringen, fehlen bislang. Wenn wir die Kreislaufwirtschaft erfolgreich ausbauen wollen, müssen jetzt die richtigen Weichen gestellt werden.“

Der bvse fordert insbesondere einen Genehmigungsturbo für Recyclinganlagen, um den dringend benötigten Ausbau von Recyclingkapazitäten zu beschleunigen. Ebenso müsse der Bürokratieabbau für Entsorgungs- und Recyclingunternehmen endlich konsequent umgesetzt werden. „Durch die stärkere Einbeziehung des Entsorgungsfachbetriebs gemäß § 56 Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz kann beispielsweise unnötiger Mehrfachzertifizierung wirksam entgegengewirkt werden, ohne dass Qualitätsstandards leiden“, so Rehbock.

Als besonders kritisch bewertet der bvse die aktuelle Lage im Kunststoffrecycling. „Unsere Branche steht mit dem Rücken zur Wand. Wenn nicht schnell gehandelt wird, gehen wertvolle Recyclingkapazitäten in Deutschland und Europa unwiederbringlich verloren“, warnt Rehbock. Der Verband fordert deshalb eine Änderung des § 21 Verpackungsgesetz zur Förderung des Rezyklateinsatzes sowie wirksame Maßnahmen gegen falsch deklarierte Rezyklatimporte.

Auch die öffentliche Beschaffung müsse stärker als Hebel für die Kreislaufwirtschaft genutzt werden. Der bvse unterstützt daher die geplante Schärfung des § 45 Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz. „Diese Regelung sollte rechtlich verpflichtend und einklagbar ausgestaltet werden, um wirklich Wirkung zu entfalten“, betont Rehbock.
Positiv bewertet der Verband die geplante Novelle der Ersatzbaustoffverordnung und fordert, die Ergebnisse des Planspiels 2.0 möglichst noch im ersten Halbjahr 2026 vollständig umzusetzen.

Ebenso begrüßt der bvse den angekündigten „Runden Tisch Reduzierung Brandrisiko durch Lithium-Batterien“, der eine Forderung der Branche aufgreift. Ergänzend spricht sich der Verband für die schnelle Einführung eines Batteriepfands sowie für ein Verbot oder eine Bepfandung von Einweg-E-Zigaretten aus.

Darüber hinaus mahnt der bvse eine gezielte Förderung mittelständischer Unternehmen an. „Es reicht nicht, nur Pilot- oder Demonstrationsanlagen zu unterstützen“, erklärt Rehbock. „Wir brauchen endlich Förderprogramme, die dafür sorgen, dass im Labor oder Technikumsmaßstab erprobte Recyclingverfahren auch in die betriebliche Praxis überführt werden können. Ohne finanzielle Unterstützung ist das für viele mittelständische Betriebe schlicht nicht zu stemmen.“

Nur wenn diese zentralen Punkte in das Aktionsprogramm aufgenommen werden, kann es sein Ziel erreichen – nämlich die Kreislaufwirtschaft in Deutschland tatsächlich zu stärken und nachhaltige Investitionen in Recycling und Ressourcenschutz langfristig zu sichern.

Reju, together with 11 other companies representing the textile value chain, launched the European Circular Textile Coalition’s manifesto for a fully circular textile economy, urging the EU to transform post-consumer textile waste into a driver of green jobs, innovation and competitiveness. 

The coalition is formed of businesses across the textile value chain; Reju, Resortecs, COLEO, Tissage de Charlieu, Synergies TLC, Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, Sympany, European Spinning Group, Ariadne, Erdotex, Utexbel, Noyfil.

Europe generates 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste annually, with most of it landfilled, incinerated or exported and just 1% recycled back into new garments. The coalition stresses that this is no longer acceptable. 

“We refuse to accept textile waste as an inevitability, instead, we see it as a solvable challenge for our generation,” the manifesto states. 

The coalition calls for urgent EU action to match regulatory ambition with investment in recycling and manufacturing systems. 

“Without system readiness, even the most forward-looking regulations risk falling short. We are here to help bridge that gap,” the group highlights. 

To drive change, the manifesto sets out three policy pillars: 

1. Ensure a competitive European textile chain, bringing production back to European shores to uphold environmental and labour standards. 
2. Prioritise high-quality textile-to-textile recycling, making post-consumer textile waste the main feedstock for new textiles. 
3. Set mandatory recycled content in textiles, with ambitious but realistic targets phased in over time. 

‘Reju is a system change company and we strongly believe that change happens with collaboration. That is why this collation is important to drive change collectively as an industry pulling together and we welcome more businesses to join us.’ says Patrik Frisk, Reju CEO. 

“Voluntary efforts have proven grossly insufficient – we need binding standards to drive demand for recycled materials,” the coalition insists. 

The coalition is launching an advocacy tour to engage policymakers and invites other actors from across the textile value chain to join its mission. 

“Now is the time to act — because when a world without waste is possible, we cannot afford to wait!

About Reju
Reju is a materials regeneration company focused on creating innovative solutions for regenerating polyester textiles and post-consumer PET waste. Owned by Technip Energies and utilizing technology originating with IBM Research, Reju is driven by its purpose to unlock infinite possibilities within finite resources. The company aims to establish a global textile recycling circular system to regenerate and recirculate polyester textiles. 

Fresh from its highly successful 63rd conference held in Porto, Portugal, from October 7-10, The Textile Institute (TI) will celebrate a major milestone at the ITMA Asia+CITME textile machinery exhibition in Singapore later this month.

One hundred years ago, in 1925, TI was granted its Royal Charter by King George V, transforming it from a professional association into a globally recognised chartered body, and in Singapore from October 28-31, is seeking to strengthen its international partnerships while welcoming new Corporate Members to its expanding global network.

Shared growth
TI will exhibit as a reciprocal member of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA), showcasing the power of collaboration and shared growth. The long-standing partnership between the two organisations has been further strengthened by the appointment of BTMA CEO Jason Kent as TI’s new Commercial Vice President, bringing fresh industry insight and influence to the role.

“Our joint presence in Singapore underlines how enduring partnerships strengthen the entire industry,” Kent says. “Corporate Membership of The Textile Institute gives organisations access to an international network of professionals, cutting-edge research and strategic benefits valued at over £10,000 a year.”

Advantages
Membership unlocks a host of advantages, including global promotion and visibility, invitations to high-level networking events and training, collaboration on industry-led research, professional recognition through chartered qualifications and access to TI’s publications, data and R&D resources.

“As the only global professional body in this sector with a Royal Charter, we are driving the industry forward through high-quality events and training courses that equip professionals for the future,” says TI CEO Stephanie Dick. “Together with our Corporate Members, we’re tackling skills gaps, developing practical training solutions and reaching international audiences.”

New industries
“This is an exciting time for the industry, especially with the major opportunities being opened up in new technical textiles for rising industries such as energy and data storage, future mobility and advanced infrastructure,” adds TI President Charles Wood. “Whether you’re a multinational manufacturer or a fast-growing SME, TI offers a neutral, not-for-profit platform where your voice is heard and your ambitions are supported. As we expand our influence across Asia and beyond, we’re inviting new Corporate Members to join us, benefit from our resources and help shape the Institute with their expertise.”

The Textile Institute is ideally positioned to help organisations stay competitive, connected and compliant. From its first foundation in Manchester in 1910, its approach has always been to be “not of Manchester, but international”, and with sections and special interest groups active across the globe, it now serves members in over 60 countries, empowering professionals across every link in the textile supply chain. 

“We are looking forward to exploring new possibilities with as many forward-looking companies as possible at this year’s ITMA Asia+CITME,” concludes Jason Kent.

Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel (Freudenberg Apparel) hat am 14. Oktober die Erweiterung seines Produktionsstandorts in Chennai, Indien eröffnet. Das Unternehmen expandiert seine Produktionsfläche um nahezu 2.000 Quadratmeter und führt neue Produktionslinien ein, die speziell auf den indischen Bekleidungsmarkt zugeschnitten sind. Die strategische Investition zielt darauf ab, die Durchlaufzeiten deutlich zu verkürzen und die Verfügbarkeit hochwertiger, lokal produzierter Einlagen für den sich schnell entwickelnden Bekleidungssektor in Indien und Südasien zu verbessern.

Die Erweiterung vergrößert die Produktionsfläche des Standortes von rund 3.700 auf rund 5.600 Quadratmeter. Zudem nimmt Freudenberg Apparel spezielle Produktionslinien für Einlagen aus 100 Prozent Baumwolle und 100 Prozent Polyester in Betrieb. Die neuen Produktionslinien ermöglichen insbesondere die lokale Produktion von Einlagen aus bi-elastischem Polyester für Oberhemden und Gewebeeinlagen aus Polyester. Dadurch kann die steigende Nachfrage nach innovativen, hochwertigen Materialien mit schnellerer Lieferung gedeckt werden.

Deutlich kürzere Vorlaufzeiten 
Der mit modernsten Maschinen ausgestattete erweiterte Standort verfügt nun über eine verbesserte interne Qualitätssicherung und beschleunigte Produktionsprozesse. Die Vorlaufzeiten für indische Kunden reduzieren sich aufgrund der lokalen Produktion von sechs bis acht Wochen auf nur ein bis zwei Wochen - verglichen mit bisherigen Importen aus China. Darüber hinaus können Kunden mit einem Kostenvorteil gegenüber zollpflichtigen Importwaren rechnen.

Support-Netzwerk für die indische Textilindustrie
Freudenberg Apparel hat seit der Expansion nach Indien im Jahr 1998 ein Support-Netzwerk für die indische Textilindustrie aufgebaut, darunter technische Studios in Chennai, Bangalore und Gurgaon. Diese Studios bieten technische Beratung, Lösungsdienstleistungen, technische Seminare, Trendkollektionen und Mockups, Empfehlungen für Einlagen und Audits für Fusing-Pressen – Dienstleistungen, die die erweiterten Fertigungskapazitäten ergänzen. 

Die neuen Produktionslinien ergänzen die bestehenden Kapazitäten für Pastendruck, 3P-Druck und Pulverdruck im Werk in Chennai und erweitern so die Palette der Produkte, die vor Ort hergestellt werden können.

Die Reifenhäuser Gruppe hat auf der K 2025 in Düsseldorf erstmals sein neues unternehmensweites User Interface präsentiert, das eine einheitliche Designsprache für Blasfolien-, Flachfolien- und Vliesstoff- Anlagen sowie eine besonders einfache Bedienung bietet. Das Gesamtkonzept überzeugt auch die Jury des German Design Awards, die das System während der Messe mit dem renommierten Designpreis ausgezeichnet hat. 

In Zeiten des weltweit wachsenden Fachkräftemangels, ist die einfache und intuitive Bedienung von Produktionsanlagen ein entscheidendes Erfolgskriterium. Deshalb hat Reifenhäuser sein Human Maschine Interface (HMI) komplett überarbeitet und eine neue, optisch ansprechende und reaktionsschnelle Lösung vorgestellt. Sie vereint die komplexen und heterogenen Anforderungen unterschiedlicher Extrusionsbereiche in einem flexiblen und skalierbaren System. Reifenhäuser zeigt die neue HMI im Rahmen seines – während der K Messe stattfindenden – Open House an seinen neuen Blas- und Flachfolienanlagen EVO GEN3 und EVEREX. 

Der Bediener gelangt in maximal zwei Klicks zu jeder Einstellung und behält dank individualisierbarer Dashboards und einer übersichtlichen Start-up- Seite jederzeit die Kontrolle über den gesamten Extrusionsprozess. Das intelligente Farbkonzept sowie die intuitive und reaktionsschnelle Touch- Oberfläche beschleunigen die Eingaben deutlich.

Die Neuentwicklung erfolgte gemeinsam mit HMI Project - ein vielfach ausgezeichnetes Büro für Human Maschine Interfaces (HMI). Um den Bedienalltag an komplexen Maschinen zu erleichtern, stand bei der Entwicklung der neuen HMI der Mensch im Mittelpunkt. In einem nutzerzentrierten Prozess wurden reale Nutzungsszenarien analysiert und durch Usability-Tests validiert. Ergebnis ist ein modulares, skalierbares und extrem flexibles Interface, das technische Komplexität und Benutzerfreundlichkeit auf höchstem Niveau vereint. Assistenzsysteme, informative Illustrationen und eine klare visuelle Hierarchie unterstützen den Bediener bei der Einrichtung, Überwachung und Optimierung sensibler Produktionsprozesse. 

Der German Design Award zählt zu den angesehensten Auszeichnungen der Designlandschaft. Seit 2012 identifiziert der Award maßgebliche Gestaltungstrends, macht sie sichtbar und zeichnet sie aus. Jährlich werden herausragende Arbeiten aus den Bereichen Produktdesign, Kommunikationsdesign und Architektur prämiert.

Source Fashion, the UK’s leading responsible sourcing show, announced Redress as the headline catwalk partner for its return to Olympia London from 13–15 January 2026, spotlighting pioneering designers who are reshaping fashion through circular and sustainable design.

The Source Fashion Catwalk will take place three times daily, showcasing responsibly produced collections, trend-led designs, and cutting-edge innovation. Each show will present a compelling story of sustainability in practice, inspiring buyers with practical ideas they can implement directly from the show floor.

Based in Hong Kong, Redress is an Asia-focused environmental NGO on a mission to accelerate the transition to a circular fashion industry by educating and empowering designers and consumers to reduce clothing’s negative environmental impacts. In response to fashion’s unsustainable linear model of ‘take, make, use, and waste,’ Redress champions a circular economy that takes responsibility for a product’s entire lifecycle and its impact on the planet.

At the heart of its work is the Redress Design Award, a leading sustainable fashion design competition, which has built a global network of over 300 emerging designers pioneering circular and waste-reducing practices. This makes Redress an ideal partner for Source Fashion, as both organisations share a commitment to innovation, education, and driving real-world change in the fashion industry. Together, they are empowering the next generation of designers to reshape fashion’s future through creativity and responsibility.

For Source Fashion January 2026, Redress will select two to three Redress Design Award alumni to headline the catwalk. Their curated showcase will highlight innovation, circular design thinking, and a strong commitment to reducing environmental impact. The dynamic catwalk will run three times a day, offering a visual narrative of how responsible design and creative excellence can join forces to redefine the future of fashion.

“This partnership with Redress marks an exciting next chapter for the Source Fashion catwalk,” says Suzanne Ellingham, Director of Source Fashion. “Redress has been instrumental in nurturing some of the most forward-thinking designers working in sustainability today. Their alumni are proof that creativity and responsibility are not opposing forces, they’re the foundation of fashion’s future. By bringing their work to our stage, we’re giving buyers and brands a glimpse of what truly circular design can look like in practice.”

Christina Dean, Founder of Redress, “Our partnership with Source Fashion creates the perfect stage to show that sustainable fashion isn’t just a passing trend, it’s the future. By putting our Redress Design Award alumni in the spotlight, we’re proving that circular design can be innovative, beautiful, and commercially viable. This partnership is about inspiring the industry and showing that responsibility and creativity go hand in hand.”

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc., a leader in spider silk technology*, announced the company has succeeded in significantly increasing the production throughput of its recombinant spider silk production platform.   
 
This increase is the successful result of the continuous work in the selective breeding of parental strains for its production hybrid silkworms, which is the basis of its recombinant spider silk production system. Kraig's first successful hybrid, designated the BAM-1, demonstrated hybrid vigor, which increased both cocoon shell weight (a critical measure of silk output) and robustness. That hybrid was created by mating two genetically divergent parental strains. The fielding of the BAM-1 was a major improvement in spider silk production technology. 
 
Over the past two years, the Kraig has been using selective breeding to create more advanced parental strains with the goal of increasing hybrid vigor to further increase shell weight. One of these new advanced strains was specifically designed as a replacement for one of the original BAM-1 parental strains. 
 
By mating the strongest of the BAM-1 parental strains with the new advanced strain, the company has demonstrated measurable hybrid vigor (as measured by cocoon shell weight) of 22%, an increase in hybrid vigor of more than 245% compared to the BAM-1. The new advanced hybrid has been designated as BAM-1 Alpha and will be the Company's production workhorse moving forward.
 
"Our small team of researchers continues to outperform our competitors in spider silk R&D and commercial development. The creation of our new BAM-1 Alpha hybrid is the product of our focused vision for large-scale commercialization of spider silk and the dedication of our geneticists to that vision," said Kim Thompson, Founder and CEO of Kraig Labs. "Frankly, the 250% increase in hybrid vigor over the original BAM-1 has significantly exceeded our expectations and design parameters. The BAM-1 Alpha is producing larger cocoons and more silk, resulting in increased throughput and lower production cost. Though we do not have hard data yet on increases in robustness other than cocoon size and shell weight, our expectation is that general robustness will follow this same pattern."
 
Kraig Labs utilizes its proprietary genetically enhanced silkworm technology platform to produce recombinant spider silk. These silkworms spin recombinant spider silk fibers naturally within their cocoons, combining the scalability of traditional sericulture with the superior performance of spider silk proteins.
 
With BAM-1 Alpha now moving into commercial deployment, Kraig Labs will leverage its multi-facility production infrastructure to integrate this enhanced production hybrid into ongoing manufacturing. This advancement supports the Company's vision of delivering high-performance spider silk fibers for applications spanning performance textiles, defense, medical, and industrial markets.

Teysha Technologies has successfully validated KarmaCane, its patented sugar-derived biopolymer, in extreme field conditions. Products manufactured from KarmaCane withstood sub-zero temperatures and intense UV exposure during the record-breaking Mission: Everest expedition.

This real-world trial marks a turning point for the material platform, showing that biopolymers can perform under the harshest conditions while offering a safe and fully biodegradable end-of-life. KarmaCane has achieved OECD 310 biodegradability certification, confirming that it breaks down into non-harmful natural sugars rather than microplastics or acids.

A Versatile Materials Platform
The Everest test underscores KarmaCane’s ability to serve a wide variety of applications beyond eyewear. The platform can be engineered into very different formats:

• Hard solids for durable goods such as frames, tools, and structural components.
• Sticky liquids as natural film-formers in cosmetics, replacing synthetic polymers.
• Water-based dispersions as hydrophobic coatings for paper and cardboard packaging.
• Filaments for 3D printing, opening pathways for additive manufacturing.

This flexibility allows industries to adapt KarmaCane to specific needs, from packaging and consumer goods to medical devices and marine applications.

Manufacturing & Scale
KarmaCane has already been validated across multiple production methods:

• Extrusion into pellets and filaments.
• Injection moulding at lab scale.
• Hydrophobic coatings for fibre- and paper-based packaging.

Teysha is preparing to scale monomer production to tonne-level manufacture, using third-party industrial assets to expand rapidly without infrastructure bottlenecks. Early modelling indicates KarmaCane products will be cost-competitive with PET, ABS and other mainstream plastics once at scale.

Commercial Potential Across Sectors
KarmaCane’s design directly addresses regulatory and commercial pressures:

• Cosmetics: Eliminates the need for microplastics used as thickeners, stabilisers and film-formers. Replacing these polymers could remove up to 8,700 tonnes annually from the cosmetics sector alone.
• Packaging: Early coating trials show water-resistant barriers for paper and cardboard without plastic laminates.
• Marine environments: Rapid aquatic biodegradation without persistent fragments makes KarmaCane suitable for coastal and offshore use.
• Medical: Degradation into alcohol and CO₂ rather than acids could reduce inflammation risks compared to existing biodegradable polymers.

Market Context
Global regulation is driving urgent demand for sustainable alternatives:

• The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is rolling out restrictions on microplastics in consumer products.
• International bans on single-use plastics are accelerating the need for scalable biodegradable solutions.

Matthew Stone, CEO of Teysha Technologies says that “The Everest test proves KarmaCane can survive the harshest environments. But more importantly, it shows that our polymer platform can be engineered to meet the needs of very different industries — from packaging to cosmetics to medical applications.”

Karen Wooley, CTO and inventor at Teysha Technologies explains, “KarmaCane is not just one product. It’s a materials platform. We can design it as a solid, a liquid, or a water-based suspension, depending on the application. That versatility sets it apart from other biopolymers and is key to scaling sustainable solutions.”

Teysha Technologies develops biodegradable polymers from natural sources to replace petroleum-based plastics across multiple industries. Founded in 2017, the company has secured multiple patents for its KarmaCane biopolymer platform and maintains research partnerships with Texas A&M University and other leading institutions.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, launches a new skin-friendly range of PET fibers and filament yarns for apparel, tested against 17 harmful chemicals and certified to standards like OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, DIN EN 71-3, and ISO 17294-2. 

Under the product brand deja™ Care, the company uses more environmentally friendly chemicals during the PET polymerization process. That enables customers and brand owners offer skin-sensitive solutions like certified maternity wear, underwear, infant and children’s wear, school uniforms, or simply essential fashion that touches consumers’ skin every day. 

All deja Care fibers and yarns are manufactured in fully integrated, in-house facilities in Asia, ensuring end-to-end control and traceability. Having already proven their performance in hygiene applications like baby wipes & diapers, these products now offer apparel brands a clear path towards responsible fashion. Fabric makers also benefit from cleaner, thus less polluting wastewater and lower sludge generation and disposal during fabric manufacturing. That supports more eco-friendly production practices. 

“We delivered another very strong quarter as our pivot to becoming a DTC-first, head-to-toe denim lifestyle retailer is driving a meaningful inflection in our financial performance,” said Michelle Gass, President and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. “With strength across channels, segments and categories, we are raising our full-year outlook and are well-positioned for the holiday season. While the macro environment remains complex, the consistency of our performance and operational agility gives me confidence that we will deliver sustained, profitable growth into 2026 and beyond.” 

“Our Q3 results demonstrate the power of our strategic transformation, with strong financial performance exceeding expectations across all key metrics including sales, gross margin, adjusted EBIT margin and adjusted diluted EPS,” said Harmit Singh, Chief Financial and Growth Officer of Levi Strauss & Co. “With four consecutive quarters of high-single-digit growth and record gross margins driven by our focus on profitability across the organization, we are raising our full-year revenue and adjusted diluted EPS expectations. We have built strong momentum that positions us well to continue delivering strong shareholder value next year and in the years to come.”

Financial Highlights 

• Net Revenues of $1.5 billion were up 7% on a reported and organic basis versus Q3 2024:
• In the Americas, net revenues increased 6% on a reported basis and 7% on an organic basis. Within the Americas, the U.S. grew 3% on an organic basis. 
• In Europe, net revenues increased 5% on a reported basis and 3% on an organic basis. 
• In Asia, net revenues increased 12% on a reported basis and organic basis. 
• Beyond Yoga® net revenues increased 2% on a reported and organic basis. 
• DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) net revenues increased 11% on a reported basis and 9% on an organic basis. DTC growth on an organic basis reflected a 7% increase in the U.S., a 4% increase in Europe and a 14% increase in Asia. Net revenues from e-commerce grew 18% on a reported basis and 16% on an organic basis. DTC comprised 46% of total net revenues in the third quarter. 
• Wholesale net revenues increased 3% on a reported basis and 5% on an organic basis.