Zurich-based clothing label Neumühle has expanded its monomaterial approach with the Circular Mono Hoodie, a garment made entirely from cotton and without elastane. The heavyweight hoodie uses 100% organic cotton, while the sewing thread is also cotton and Cradle to Cradle Certified.

By eliminating elastane and other fibre types, Neumühle is addressing a key challenge in textile recycling, the prevalence of blended materials that can be difficult to separate. The design aims to make the garment easier to process through textile-to-textile recycling at the end of its useful life.

The company highlighted a 2026 Wageningen University & Research study of discarded textiles in the Dutch clothing system, which found that 61% were material blends. According to the research, monomaterial garments or products with components that can be readily separated are better suited to efficient, higher-quality fibre-to-fibre recycling.

The Circular Mono Hoodie extends Neumühle’s existing monomaterial strategy, previously applied to its Mono Vest and Mono Shirt. The company also operates a take-back programme, collecting returned garments and working with recycling partners to return materials to use. Customers who return a Mono Hoodie receive a voucher worth 20% towards a subsequent purchase. The Mono Vest received Germany’s Federal Ecodesign Award in 2023.