Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Subscribe
SK chemicals has obtained authoritative Technology Approval (TA) from RecyClass for seven of its core polyester products, verifying their full compatibility with existing European plastic recycling streams. RecyClass, a non-profit, cross-industry initiative dedicated to advancing the European circular economy for plastics, issues these certifications to ensure that new materials can be reliably reprocessed into high-quality recycled feedstock without disrupting current recycling operations.
The certifications cover five copolyster products within the ECOTRIA CLARO family and two general-purpose resins in the SKYPET line. The five ECOTRIA CLARO products—including ECOTRIA CLARO 100, 200, 300, and their chemically recycled CR50N variants—secured the “Full Compatible” grade. This designation confirms they can be processed alongside standard PET streams without any operational restrictions. Meanwhile, the SKYPET BR and SKYPET BR-V lines received a “Limited Compatible” grade, indicating they are recyclable under specific process conditions.
This milestone addresses a critical industry challenge: ensuring that a material is not just made from recycled content, but is also inherently recyclable after its consumer lifespan. Industry experts stress that a true circular economy requires materials to satisfy both conditions to prevent recycled plastics from ultimately being landfilled due to reprocessing failures. Ahn Jae-hyun, CEO of SK chemicals, stated that this official endorsement validates the circularity of their feedstock, marking a major milestone as the company expands its technical collaborations with European customers and stakeholders.
The Design Skills for Embedding Circularity pilot programme is launching an intensive six-week design sprint to address complex, real-world end-of-life product challenges. Funded by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and delivered alongside the Design Council, WRAP, and URGE Collective, the initiative pairs professional designers, design engineers, and researchers directly with waste management giant Biffa and major retailer Decathlon.
French textile upcycling specialist Losanje has closed a €6.7 million funding round to expand its industrial model, which transforms used, defective, or unsold apparel into premium new products.
Textile impact company Syre has announced an expanded collaboration with retail giant Target to accelerate the adoption of next-generation circular materials. The partnership focuses on integrating textile-to-textile recycled polyester into high-volume product lines, specifically targeting apparel and home goods.