One of the leading companies becoming first in line for circular raw materials supply as technology prepares for industrialisation
Dibella announces it has joined Worn Again Technologies’ Pioneer Members’ programme consisting of some of the most forward-thinking brands in the global apparel and textiles industry. The establishment of this programme one step further on Worn Again Technologies and Dibella’s shared mission to propel the shift to a circular resource world, wasting no time – or textiles – in getting there.
Worn Again Technologies’ polymer recycling process can separate, decontaminate and extract polyester polymers and cellulose (from cotton) from non-reusable textiles, as well as plastic bottles and packaging, to go back into new fibre as part of a repeatable process.
Dibella joins founding Pioneer Members, H&M and Kering, alongside Japanese sportswear brand ASICS Europe, German outdoor textiles specialist Sympatex, US clothing brand Dhana and Mexican textile and garment manufactures Directex and Himes. As Worn Again Technologies continues its rapid developments, it calls for further forward-thinking brands to join now and be amongst the next to reap the rewards of this industry-advancing innovation.
Ralf Hellmann, CEO of Dibella explains: “If we take current planetary boundaries and climate targets into consideration, it becomes clear that a circular use of resources must be targeted as basis for corporate policy. In cooperation with strategically relevant partners, we can perfectly solve this future task. We therefore decided to join the Worn Technologies’ Pioneer Members’ programme that will allow us to develop circular textiles using resources that can go back into new products as part of a repeatable process at the same product quality”.
“From the early days of development, we knew that working with strategic partners would be the most effective way to bring our vision to reality. We have been building the technology and the infrastructure for this solution over the last eight years, but the brands and companies selling products will play a huge role in enabling us to deliver circular resources to the global textiles industry” says Cyndi Rhoades, CEO and Founder of Worn Again Technologies.
Worn Again Technologies’ patented process aims to ensure its dual PET and cellulose outputs extracted from textiles and bottles will have economic competitiveness to virgin resources whilst guaranteeing virgin-equivalent quality. As Pioneer Members, these brands will have guaranteed access to a percentage share of initial Worn Again Technologies’ circular PET and cellulose outputs to use in their supply chains which will prove a competitive advantage in the coming decade as demand for circular supply resources rises. Additionally, Dibella will be offered pre-market access to developments and engagement in industry trials on the outputs during the scaling phase.
This partnership affirms Dibella and each brand within the programme so far as part of the solution to eradicate waste and, as Worn Again Technologies continues its rapid developments, it welcomes discussions with like-minded businesses who share this pioneering vision.
About Worn Again Technologies
Worn Again Technologies was founded in East London in 2005, with a vision to enable the circularity of raw materials. Today its pioneering polymer recycling technology is being brought to life by world-class scientists and strategic partners who have a shared ambition to fast track this vision. Worn Again Technologies has the support of influential brands and partners, such as H&M and Kering, as well as angel investor Craig Cohon, previously a senior executive of The Coca Cola Company and owner of Cirque du Soleil Russia, whose confidence in the potential of this technology has been invaluable. In December 2017, Sulzer Chemtech, one of the world’s largest chemical engineering companies; Mexico based Himes Corporation, a garment manufacturer; Directex, a textiles producer and Miroslava Duma’s Future Tech Lab also joined as investors to support the technology to commercialisation.
Worn Again Technologies is also a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Circular Economy 100 and a project partner for Circle Economy’s Fibersort project which is a technology used to automatically sort large volumes of textiles by fibre type. In November 2017, Worn Again Technologies was invited to become part of the Fashion for Good scaling programme which offers access to a network of business advisors and industry experts, enabling it to accelerate the development and future adoption of its revolutionary polymer recycling technology.
In 2018, the company was awarded a grant to become the first chemical recycling technology to be Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certified. The Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard assesses a product through five quality categories - material health, material reutilisation, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship and social fairness. The grant goes towards the official assessment process of these categories by an independent assessor and will certify the product being produced in licensed plants.