Infinitee certification obtains EU recognition
The Circular Textiles Foundation (CTF), a UK-based organisation that supports circularity from design to disposal, has obtained official recognition from the EU’s Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). This follows on its achieving the same status from the UK’s intellectual property office in 2024.
The foundation awards garments designed for recycling (DfR) the right to carry its Infinitee mark, a logo that will allow established recyclers in Europe, in the likes of Circulose, Recover, Oncemore, or Project Re:claim in the UK, to safely convert the item back into fibre form.
This new status confirms that the mark proves that an item of clothing can be recycled. It also provides data that can contribute to lower extended producer responsibility fees, where applied.
The certification aligns with upcoming legislation in the EU and UK, from the ecodesign regulation (ESPR) to digital product passports and the UK’s Green Claims Code. “The great point of Infinitee is that brands can now put a mark on garment which will inform customers, recyclers and DPP (when it comes),” Tim Cross, CTF founder told Sportstextiles. “It will help brands make a third-party verified claim that their garment is designed for recycling and that will lower their EPR tax.”
“Our mark is the only certification mark for garments that are designed to be recycled by Europe’s commercial scaled recyclers, on a pass or fail basis,” he added. This differs from other circularity certification systems that award a score indicating steps taken to make a garment recyclable, repairable or more durable. Mr Cross said that the foundation had worked directly with T2T recyclers to ascertain that a garment carrying the Infinitee label can be recycled.
Brands that have achieved CTF certification include UK activewear brand BAM Clothing which received an Infinitee mark for two outerwear styles in 2022 and now offers 39 certified styles for SS 2026. Regatta Professional and Seasalt have engaged in the process of obtaining the certification.
With regards to the possibility that the label be absent or difficult to read when a garment reaches the end of its use, Mr Cross said that the mark should be visible in at least two places on a garment, and always on the care label. “Usually this means at the centre back neck, side seam tab or elsewhere where it can be externally visible. We recognise that the mark should not compromise the design of the garment and we aim to be as flexible as possible within our brand guidelines,” he said.
