Seattle-based startup Evrnu is set to break ground on a cotton recycling facility in South Carolina in January. The facility, designed to operate mainly on renewable energy, aims to produce the equivalent of 80,000 T-shirts annually from recycled cotton clothing. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2024, this initiative represents a significant step forward in the emerging textile recycling industry.

Evrnu's technology tackles a crucial challenge in the apparel industry's sustainability journey: the limited scope of textile recycling today. A staggering 92 million tons of textiles are discarded annually, with approximately 87 percent ending up in landfills. Existing textile recycling processes account for less than 1 percent, primarily resulting in downcycled products like rugs and insulation. Evrnu's innovative approach aims to change this by creating a closed-loop supply chain through effective textile-to-textile recycling.

Partnering with U.K. fashion and textile innovator Pangaia, Evrnu focuses on recycling denim, one of the most challenging forms of cotton. The process, known as NuCycle, mechanically and chemically transforms solid cotton into pulp and then reconstitutes it into fibers for new clothing. The patented system ensures that the end result is a premium fabric made entirely from recycled cotton, offering performance similar to virgin cotton and being 100 percent recyclable.

Karla Magruder, founder of the nonprofit Accelerating Circularity, highlights the pressing need for a comprehensive system to tackle the massive textile waste issue in the United States. Evrnu's innovative approach aligns with circular recycling systems, aiming to link the waste supply chain with the apparel supply chain, thereby creating a closed circuit supply chain for new products. Stacy Flynn, the creator of NuCycle, emphasizes the importance of a holistic system to move towards circular, textile-to-textile recycling systems.