Circulose is a circular cellulose that can be recycled, regenerated and reused in a closed-loop system. Renewcell developed Circulose, providing a circular solution to cotton waste, that transforms discarded fabrics into a resource, paving the way for a more eco-friendly future in fashion. It is a special type of dissolving pulp made from 100% textile waste, including old cotton jeans and leftover cotton from production. This dissolving pulp is made up of cellulose and is used to produce fibers such as viscose, lyocell, modal and acetate, which are types of man-made cellulosic fibers. These fibers are then turned into yarns, woven or knitted into fabrics, and finally into new high-quality textile products.
Production of Circulose:
At first cellulose-rich waste such as discarded cotton garments are collected. These materials mainly consist of natural fibers like cotton.
After that, the waste is treated by a water-based chemical process which breaks it down and removes contaminants like synthetic fibers, dyes and polyester.
Then the purified cellulose is dried to produce new ultra-sustainable viscose sheets which are known as Circulose.
Finally, the circulose sheets are supplied to fiber producers who use them to manufacture regenerated fibers like viscose or lyocell, which are then spun into yarns and woven into new fabrics.
The production of circular cellulose differs significantly from traditional cellulose production in terms of raw materials, manufacturing process and also sustainability point of view.
| Aspects | Circulose | Traditional Cellulose |
| Raw materials | Recycled cellulose-rich waste | Virgin plant-based sources like wood pulp, cotton or other biomass |
| Process | Involves chemical or mechanical recycling | Extracted directly from plants |
| Energy use | Comparatively lower energy and resource consumption due to the recycling of existing materials | High energy and resource consumption for harvesting, processing and onwards. |
| Environmental Impact | Reduce landfill waste and reliance on virgin resources. | Leads to deforestation, high water usage, chemical waste during production etc. |
A study by Stella McCartney with environment consultancy SCS involving the sustainability of various materials used to produce viscose fiber found that using cotton waste as a raw material is highly beneficial. It has a negative carbon footprint meaning producing viscose fiber from recycled cotton using the Renewcell technology reduces overall carbon emission. Brands like Levi’s and H&M also have started to incorporate Renewcell’s technology into their regular textiles.