Andritz will design and manufacture continuous process equipment for CIRC facilities globally. The agreement comes after months of CIRC trials in Andritz’s research and development facilities.

CIRC’s technology can separate and recovering mixed polymer streams, including any blend of polyester and cotton.

Jorma Latva-Kokko, vice-president of mechanical pulping in the paper, fibre and recycling division at Andritz, said: “CIRC’s technology is positioned to capture a significant portion of the global circular textile market, and ANDRITZ can enable that success with our expansive engineering and equipment capabilities.” 

Dr Julie Willoughby, CIRC’s chief scientific officer, added: “The Andritz team is working shoulder-to-shoulder with CIRC to implement our vision of a circular economy for textiles and beyond.”

The partners have not yet announced a timeline for building and commissioning the first commercial facilities.