A milestone in sustainable fashion unfolded today at London Fashion Week, as designer Patrick McDowell unveiled garments made with Circ®’s recycled polyester filament derived from polycotton waste. This marks the first time such a fibre has appeared on the runway, underscoring circularity’s growing role in luxury design.
Sustainable First: Circ® Polyester Filament
Circ®, a U.S.-based textile-to-textile recycling innovator, has developed breakthrough technology to tackle one of fashion’s largest waste challenges: blended fabrics. The recycled filament was produced by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the world’s largest polyester fibre and yarn manufacturer, using Circ®’s recycled inputs. The collaboration demonstrates how pioneering recycling solutions and industrial scale can converge to bring circular textiles into mainstream fashion.
“This partnership proves that circular textiles can meet the highest luxury standards,” said Peter Majeranowski, CEO of Circ®. “Seeing our recycled polyester filament come to life through Patrick’s vision is a milestone for the industry and shows what’s possible when innovation meets design.”
For McDowell, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, sustainability has always been central to his work. This is his second collaboration with Circ®, following the creation of a gown for activist Munroe Bergdorf at the 2025 Serpentine Summer Party, crafted from Circ®’s recycled lyocell. The SS26 runway show takes this partnership further, incorporating the new recycled polyester filament into high-fashion designs.
“Innovation and sustainability have always been at the heart of my work, and Circ®’s materials allow me to design without compromise,” said Patrick McDowell. “After the success of our Serpentine collaboration, I’m excited to champion circularity once again—this time with a world-first material that shows the true luxury of recycled textiles.”
Reliance Industries Limited emphasized the importance of this collaboration in scaling sustainable innovation. Hemant D. Sharma, President – Polyester at RIL, said: “Our partnership with Circ® and Patrick McDowell at London Fashion Week demonstrates how innovation, scale, and sustainability can converge to shape the future of fashion. Beyond technology, we have long championed design-led sustainability through initiatives like the Circular Design Challenge. Seeing these efforts culminate on such an iconic platform validates our vision of advancing circular solutions that unite performance, beauty, and responsibility.”
The debut of Circ®’s recycled polyester filament at London Fashion Week signals a new era where recycled fibres are no longer niche alternatives but essential components of global fashion’s future.
