What do you believe the biggest hurdles/opportunities for transitioning to a new circular business mindset will be, for WA, for the industry?
Full circularity ushers a new paradigm for clothing manufacture. The biggest hurdles will be obstacles by vested interest in the status quo and given the global nature of the industry, no one can envisage where these hurdles will come from. The biggest challenge will be maintaining focus and momentum for those committed to circularity.
Name 3 things you think businesses will be doing differently in a circular future.
Designing for circularity – we are already seeing a move to mono fibres. As circular technology and designers start aligning, the design process will naturally incorporate end of life considerations, including the ability to recycle blends.
Traceability – irrespective of EPR, brands are becoming more interested in how and why their customers choose their product and how they use it. New technology will enable a raft of data for brands to track and trace their clothing from start to finish and assess levels of wear and tear.
Logistics – a new method for collecting clothing at end of life will need to be developed, be that in-store collections, courier collection or something entirely new. Does it go to one hub to sort for brands or do brands collect their own stock?
Briefly describe your background, interests, areas of expertise?
Like so many textile merchants, it’s no surprise I’m third generation. My grandfather would have considered himself in the textile reclamation business, specialising in recycling to the point he went to night-school to learn Italian so he could sell wool to Prato directly. My father started afresh in 1985 and pioneered the bourgeoning reuse market in Sub-Saharan Africa. With the advent of circularity, it feels we have come full circle and now back to recycling however, the expertise of established reuse markets are essential as the most sustainable solution is extended life. It will be interesting to see if alternative business models such as hire, will eclipse this.
What does circularity in the textiles industry mean to you?
A lot of people seem to take a literal approach to circularity; a T shirt doesn’t have to be a T shirt again and circularity can still incorporate recycling and extended life. The difference with circularity is responsibility. If you make a garment and it is recycled to produce carpet underlay and you have a retail presence, then purchasing back the recycled carpet underlay can still be circular. I think businesses need to broaden their vision and try to keep resources proximate to their operation.
What made your decision to join the CAP?
The hope that I would learn more, not just about WA but also insights from the varied and interesting group which make up the CAP.
How important is this Circular Advisory Panel approach for preparing a company like WA for the market (i.e. a business starting out with the sole purpose of enabling circularity but entering the market in ‘linear times’)?
WA is taking the first steps into a brand-new world. I feel the CAP is a team preparing for an expedition, drawing on experience and expertise to try and map out the route and hopefully ensure the chosen route is the best with all the available information.
What do you think it will bring to the company?
A broader spectrum of expertise than they will have in-house and with people operating in spheres who will be able to access information and direct it into the company where they may not otherwise be privy to it.
Worn Again Technologies is developing a holistic framework for a circular economy of textiles, where fiber blends are given a second life as high-quality, virgin-like materials.
Worn Again Technologies’ positive impact recognized by the Conscious Fashion Campaign
Worn Again Technologies will be part of the Conscious Fashion Campaign billboard showcase in Times Square during the upcoming New York Fashion Week. Cyndi Rhoades, Founder of Worn Again Technologies, has been named as one of the honorees of the Conscious Fashion Campaign: New York, an initiative of the Fashion Impact Fund in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Office for Partnerships and the PVBLIC Foundation. This achievement further emphasizes the company’s role in textile recycling technology and its support for the sustainable fashion industry using advanced polymer processing technologies.
The Conscious Fashion Campaign spotlights fashion-focused female entrepreneurs that are leading the industry towards an inclusive and responsible future with their businesses. The initiative aims to enhance their global visibility to educate, inform and inspire communities.
Cyndi Rhoades, Founder of Worn Again Technologies.
Cyndi Rhoades, Founder of Worn Again Technologies, was selected as one of top ten most influential social entrepreneurs that will appear on the iconic seven-story-high Nasdaq billboard during New York Fashion Week in February 2022. This is in recognition of Cyndi and the company’s continued commitment to driving social and environmental changes in the industry. More precisely, this recycling technology company is developing a holistic framework for a circular economy of textiles, where fiber blends are given a second life as high-quality, virgin-like materials.
Commenting on Cyndi’s nomination, Erik Koep, CEO of Worn Again Technologies, said: “I am thrilled that our company has been acknowledged for its positive impact in the fashion industry and that Cyndi has been chosen as an honoree of the Conscious Fashion Campaign: New York. It has been an incredible journey since the foundation of Worn Again Technologies in 2005. We have continued to grow while turning our vision for textile recycling into a reality. I am grateful to work with a fantastic team of highly specialized partners, such as Sulzer Chemtech, Oerlikon Textile and H&M Group, that have brought us to this moment today. I am excited for Cyndi and for Worn Again’s bright future as we work towards realizing circularity in the fashion and textile industry.”
Torsten Wintergerste, Chairman of Worn Again Technologies, added: “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Cyndi for being selected as one of the top ten female entrepreneurs by the Conscious Fashion Campaign. This recognizes her passion and dedication to creating a more sustainable fashion industry and will inspire the next generation of talent to build circular economy. It is always inspiring to be with her.”
About Worn Again Technologies
Worn Again Technologies was founded in East London in 2005, with a vision to eradicate textile waste. Since 2012, the company has been in development of a unique polymer recycling technology which separates, decontaminates and extracts polyester and cellulose (from cotton) from non-reusable textiles. The dual PET and cellulose outputs can be reintroduced into supply chains to become new fibre, textiles and products as part of a continual cycle.
The regenerative recycling technology is being brought to life by an expert team and strategic partners who have a shared ambition of creating a circular textiles industry. The company has valued strategic investors including H&M Group, Sulzer Chemtech (global market leader in innovative mass transfer, static mixing and polymer solutions for petrochemicals, refining and LNG), Oerlikon (leading materials and surface solutions provider), Mexico-based Himes Corporation (a garment manufacturer) and Directex (a textiles producer), as well as the support of influential brands and partners, such as Kering, ASICS Europe, Sympatex, Dibella and Dhana.
In November 2017, Worn Again Technologies was invited to become part of the Fashion for Good scaling programme. In 2019, Worn Again Technologies received the ANDAM Innovation Prize, the PCIAW Outstanding Contribution to the Textile Industry and the ‘One to Watch’ at the Global Good Awards. In 2019, the company’s Founder, Cyndi Rhoades, was also a finalist for The Circular Economy Awards Leadership award.
Worn Again Technologies is also a signatory and key contributor to the UNFCCC Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.
Company Contact:
Worn Again Technologies: Karen Shakespeare-Fletcher
Telephone: +44 7549 168616
Web: www.wornagain.co.uk
Email: Karen.shakespearefletcher@wornagain.co.uk
