This week on The WTiN Podcast we speak to Petri Alava, CEO of Infinited Fiber Company, who is representing a new EU-funded scheme called New Cotton Project. 

 In a ‘world first’ for the fashion industry, the project connects 12 key players to break new ground by demonstrating an entirely circular model for commercial garment production. Over a three-year period, textile waste will be collected, sorted, and regenerated into a new, man-made cellulosic fibre that looks and feels like cotton using Infinited Fiber Company’s textile fibre regeneration technology. The fibres will be used to create different types of fabrics for clothing that will be designed, manufactured, and sold by Adidas and companies in the H&M Group. 

In this episode, Alava talks about how the project came about, why it’s necessary, and how it could act as an inspiration for further circular initiatives in the industry. He also talks about how having brands such as Adidas and H&M on board can help reach out to consumers, how there is a readiness in the industry for sustainable change, and how he’s ‘so sure’ the industry will get there eventually.