Circlo, a finalist in the Textile Recycling Awards in the Textile Recycling Project of the Year category, has broadened its range of circular knitted fabrics and now also offers woven fabrics, in a development that, according to Mário Ferreira, business manager, has been accompanied by improvements in material performance. «Nowadays, our collection has a variety that covers almost everything», he tells Portugal Têxtil.
New additions include pique fabrics, a wider variety of ribs and fleeces, including brushed and unbrushed versions, double-faced knitted fabrics and articles in different weights. The developments also include reducing the weight of some structures. «Until a month ago, we thought the finest and lightest jersey we could make was 150 or 160 grams. Now we can already make a 135-gram one», reveals Mário Ferreira.
According to the business manager, the performance of the recycled knitted fabrics, produced by Tintex and Trimalhas, has also improved. «We have knitted fabrics that exceed the limit in the bursting test», he adds, noting that, in some cases, the recycled materials achieve better results than non-recycled knitted fabrics.
The two woven fabrics, developed in partnership with Vilarinho, were produced at the request of a Pedrosa & Rodrigues customer, in a composition of 50% organic cotton and 50% recycled cotton, in two weights. «I think we now have a little something for everyone. That is the main development», summarises Mário Ferreira.
Post-consumer waste
The raw material still consists mostly of cutting waste generated daily at Pedrosa & Rodrigues and recycled by Sasia, but Circlo now also incorporates post-consumer clothing sent by customers. «We have customers who send us garments where the colour or dyeing went wrong, and all that kind of thing, and we recycle the garments», he explains. The process includes separating the garments and trims, followed by mechanical recycling and the production of a new yarn at Inovafil, and then a knitted or woven fabric. The material can retain the mélange appearance resulting from the mixture of colours or subsequently be dyed in another shade. According to Mário Ferreira, the project’s positioning is based on «being 100% traceable».
Demand for recycled materials has increased, both from Pedrosa & Rodrigues customers and from new brands. «Some customers who were already Pedrosa customers, to whom we were trying to introduce recycled materials, but who were not particularly interested, suddenly started becoming more interested», reports Mário Ferreira, adding that «the next challenge will be being able to meet all the demand».
Circlo receives orders from several markets, although the business manager highlights the initial interest shown by the Nordic markets, followed by the UK and the US, while noting that demand is now very broad.
Despite this growth, Mário Ferreira reveals that Circlo’s activity still represents only a marginal share of Pedrosa & Rodrigues’ business.
Investment and expansion
The company is considering new investments, namely in a smaller mechanical recycling machine for testing and development. The solution would make it possible to work with smaller quantities and test new combinations without having to use volumes of 20 or 30 kilograms.
«Obviously, to improve and evolve, we will always have to invest; there is no way around it. But most of the investment may already have been made», reflects Circlo’s business manager, although he acknowledges that further investment may be necessary if production moves to a significantly larger scale.
Mário Ferreira acknowledges that, until now, Circlo has operated with little direct competition in Portugal, but stresses that this is changing. «Now we are going to start having a little more competition», which is why the project wants to «stay a little ahead of the others so that we can maintain the reputation we are starting to build», he says.
One year after presenting the project at Première Vision, Circlo returned to the event because it considers that «it is still the trade fair that makes the most sense in terms of promotion», notes the business manager. The company is also assessing participation in other trade fairs, including one in Copenhagen and another in Germany, although no final decisions have yet been made.
