Camira Group invests in wool recycling business iinouiio

Camira Yarns, headquartered in Huddersfield, UK, has acquired a majority stake in iinouiio, which has received significant investment to install modern wool textile reprocessing machinery in the UK for the first time in over 20 years.

Dr. John Parkinson founded Iinouiio – an acronym for It is never over till it is over – in 2019. He retains minority ownership and will lead the new firm, which builds on his long-standing family tradition of textile recycling.

Camira Group, based in Huddersfield, produces yarn, weaves, and dyes fabrics for use in commercial interiors and passenger transportation.

Camira began with a recycled wool fabric made from army jumpers in the late 1990s and has since expanded to include environmental textiles made from wool blended with harvested nettles, hemp, and flax, as well as a diverse range of recycled polyester fabrics made from plastic bottles and, most recently, ocean plastic waste.

Camira’s investment in iinouiio demonstrates the company’s commitment to advancing its work in textile circularity by gaining access to unrivaled expertise and employing sophisticated manufacturing technologies in natural fiber reprocessing to create new yarns and textiles.

Camira Yarns, which specializes in woolen spun yarns for commercial fabrics, will use the iinouiio principle of textile repurposing at its Birkby, Huddersfield, facility, which will have a dedicated ground floor location for the new processing machinery as well as a self-contained showroom to promote the capability. WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), a UK-registered environmental organization that works on a wide range of projects to promote a circular economy and divert waste away from landfills, has given £165,000 in capital expenditure money.

This will give new machinery to set up a new textile reprocessing line that will transform high-value raw materials – such as textile production waste and pre-loved wool and cashmere products – back into fiber, which can then be spun into new yarn and used to produce new fabric.

The equipment will be deployed in April and will be utilized to create iinouiio-branded products, provide take-back programs for manufacturers and retailers, and give Camira new recycled product opportunities.

Dr Parkinson, said that the installation of the new recycling line will be a watershed moment for the UK textile sector, and iinouiio is delighted that it will be housed within the Camira Yarns facility in Huddersfield.

Anthony Croall, Camira Group commercial director, said that they’re truly pleased about this excellent opportunity. It not only builds on Camira’s commitment to sustainability but also positions them as a market leader in textile circularity. They can’t wait to start working with John to build the iinouiio brand alongside new environmental products and activities from Camira, as market demands for less waste and eco-conscious customers have now put textile recycling at the top of the agenda.