Circular Systems Convenes Fashion Industry Leaders to Set New Standard on Crop Residues at Textile Exchange

Texloop and Agraloop products demonstrate early success in adopting standard for fibers and yarns

DUBLIN, NY, IRELAND, December 23, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ – During the Textile Exchange 2021 Annual Global Conference held in conjunction with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Circular Systems facilitated a critical dialogue among industry leaders fashion industry, including representatives from H&M, ASOS, Madewell and Pangaia focused on setting a new standard for the use of crop residues in fibers and yarns. The new standard, known as the Crop Residue Standard, will allow brands to understand the differences between types of residue (co-products, by-products) and redefine the meaning of agricultural waste for the fashion industry.

Crop residues represent more than half of the total plant biomass produced globally in our food systems. These residues are usually removed by combustion, releasing air pollutants that negatively impact human health, natural ecosystems and crop growth. The crop residue standard allows companies to mitigate many of the unintended consequences of crop residue disposal, such as depletion of soil nutrients, exclusion of local uses, and overproduction and l ‘expansion of crops, especially for small farmers who lack a high level of transparency in the processes.

The session presented the case for integrating the Corp Residue Standard with Textile Exchange’s Content Claim Standard (CCS), an important chain of custody standard for the industry. This would be the first time that CCS could be used outside of Textile Exchange’s certification portfolio and the conference provided an opportunity for key industry stakeholders to provide feedback. Circular Systems will pilot the crop residue standard and verification process on its own supply chain with the goal of rolling it out across the industry in 2022.

“Together, Circular Systems and other industry stakeholders will continue an open dialogue to improve and refine the crop residue standard,” said Scott Leonard, director of sustainability for Circular Systems. “We are already implementing the standard in our own supply chains and we are delighted that many brands have made a commitment to follow our example. We will continue to collaborate to creatively reuse and reuse harvest parts that are traditionally burnt and wasted towards our goals of sustainability and 45% GHG reduction by 2030. ”

“The crop residue standard makes it easier to harvest and collect crop residue while mitigating the unintended consequences of its removal from the field,” said Neil Mendenhall of SCS Consulting Services, development partner of the crop residue standard. crop from Circular Systems. “We looked at similar standards and research in other industries to understand best practices and facilitate product traceability. Through these efforts, we created the first draft as an inclusive standard for stakeholders in the fashion industry, which aims to deliver maximum benefits to farmers while reducing negative disruption to socio-economic conditions. and environmental issues.

He continued, “Our goal was to create an accessible and cost-effective standard for smallholder farmers to encourage their participation by reducing the most common barriers to certification. In addition, as the demand for crop residues increases and their price increases, the standard is designed to increase the level and extent of ESG requirements.

Circular Systems is modeling an important part of a positive way forward for the fashion industry and the planet by applying the crop residue standard to their own Texloop ™ and Agraloop ™ yarn products. Agraloop technology refines fiber bundles from oilseed hemp scraps, oilseed flaxseed, and now CBD crop residues. Circular Systems also intends to recycle the wastewater generated during fiber refining to create beneficial soil amendments that can return to the farm. Agraloop Dry Refined and Refined + products reduce water consumption, support regenerative agriculture, clean the soil, and help protect soil, water and air, among other benefits.

In addition, Texloop yarns, developed by recovering natural and synthetic fibers from textile waste, have saved more than 1.2 billion liters of water since their launch, which is equivalent to more than 635 million days of waste. drinking water saved. By choosing organic and recycled fibers, this process reduced harmful pesticides and emissions, avoiding the use of nearly 445,000 kg of CO2 emissions and over 1,200 kg of fertilizer. Partnering with global commercial brands such as H&M and Converse and influential fashion brands Madewell, Arket and Girlfriend Collective, Texloop yarn and fabrics has established itself as the premium recycled cotton brand.

“With partners like Circular Systems, we are able to collaborate in the creation of new revolutionary technologies. Their new crop residue standards, which are an industry first, have contributed to the enormous opportunity to evolve and have a positive impact. More recently, we have launched products using Agraloop technology that transforms crop residue waste into fiber, creating a circular product that our community is passionate about. shared Liz Hershfield, senior vice president and head of sustainability for J Crew Group, senior vice president of sourcing for Madewell.

By aligning the crop residue standard with Textile Exchange’s Content Claim Standard (CCS), Circular Systems will help enable downstream traceability of materials and product claims and support the industry’s goal of mode of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the production of textile fibers and materials by 45% by 2030.

About circular systems
Circular Systems ™ is a materials science company that provides fibers that aim to create a net positive impact on our environment, society and economy through innovation. Our circular plus technologies provide systemic solutions to transform waste into valuable fibers, yarns and fabrics for the fashion industry.

For more information visit: https://circularsystems.com/

Contact: Anne McPherson ([email protected]; 1-917-531-4050)

Anne McPherson
ACM communication
+1 917-531-4050
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