HKRITA partners to launch circular textile recycling ecosystem

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with textile technology company Jeanologia and recycling specialist Looptworks to establish the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem. The partnership aims to accelerate the large-scale recycling of blended textiles and support the industry’s transition toward a more circular and sustainable future.

At the heart of the initiative is HKRITA’s Green Machine 4.0, the latest version of its hydrothermal textile recycling technology. The advanced system is designed to recover polyester from cotton-polyester blended textiles with a purity level of 98 percent or higher, without relying on harmful chemical processes.

As part of the partnership, Jeanologia will contribute industrial machinery designed to European standards and compliant with CE high-pressure requirements. Looptworks will bring practical implementation expertise to the ecosystem.

By combining scientific innovation, industrial engineering, and commercial adoption, the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem aims to provide a practical solution for scaling textile recycling. The initiative is expected to help recyclers process materials that were previously considered difficult or impossible to recycle, while creating new business opportunities through the recovery of valuable raw materials.

The ecosystem also offers benefits for fashion brands and manufacturers by enabling access to recycled fibres in commercial volumes. This can support the development of more sustainable products, reduce reliance on virgin resources, and help companies meet growing environmental and circularity targets.