In the world of intimate apparel, where silk and lace have long symbolized luxury and desire, a quieter revolution is taking place beneath the surface. Today, less than one percent of global fiber production comes from textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling—a startling figure for an industry built on layers of fabric. Enter the Circular Fiber Collective (CFC), a cross-industry initiative launched by Fashion for Good and The Fashion Pact, the latter a CEO-led alliance reminiscent of the early 20th-century corset reform movements that sought to liberate both body and industry from rigid structures. The CFC aims to scale T2T and next-generation fibers from a whisper to a roar, targeting 2 million metric tons of capacity by 2030—roughly eight percent of global fiber production. This is no small feat, given that fragmented demand and weak recycling infrastructure have historically stymied progress, much like the slow adoption of the brassiere after its 1914 patent. Drawing on insights from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the CFC will aggregate demand, support financing, and develop policy tools. Katrin Ley of Fashion for Good notes that “good intentions don’t move markets—shared engagement does,” a sentiment that echoes the cooperative spirit of early lingerie guilds. With brands like H&M and support from BCG, this collective could finally transform fashion’s waste into its most precious thread.
Originally reported by WWD