HKRITA Signs Mou With Jeanologia And Looptworks To Scale Circular Textile Recycling
The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Spanish textile technology company Jeanologia and US-based textile recycler Looptworks to establish the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem, a collaborative initiative aimed at accelerating large-scale recycling of blended textiles.
The tripartite partnership brings together HKRITA’s recycling innovation, Jeanologia’s industrial machinery expertise and Looptworks’ operational experience to create an end-to-end ecosystem for commercial textile-to-textile recycling.
At the heart of the collaboration is Green Machine 4.0, HKRITA’s latest hydrothermal recycling technology, capable of recovering polyester from cotton-polyester blended textiles at a purity of over 98% without using harmful chemical processes. The technology addresses one of the textile industry’s biggest recycling challenges by enabling the recovery of high-quality fibres from blended fabrics that have traditionally been difficult to recycle.
Under the partnership, Jeanologia becomes the first official machinery partner, supplying industrial-scale equipment engineered to European CE high-pressure standards to support commercial deployment of the technology. Looptworks, a Certified B Corporation specialising in textile recycling, will serve as a prospective adopter, converting pre- and post-consumer textile waste into Global Recycled Standard (GRS)-certified fibres for reuse in the supply chain.
The partners said the collaboration marks a significant shift from research-driven innovation to commercially scalable implementation, creating a practical pathway for textile circularity.
By integrating scientific research, engineering capabilities and industrial adoption, the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem aims to help recyclers process previously unrecyclable blended textiles, enable fashion brands to incorporate recycled fibres into commercial production and support manufacturers in reducing dependence on virgin raw materials.
Commenting on the partnership, Jake Koh, CEO of HKRITA, said the circular economy has moved beyond concept to commercial reality, adding that the collaboration represents an important step in taking Green Machine 4.0 from successful research to large-scale industry adoption.
Enrique Silla, CEO and Founder of Jeanologia, said the company is applying its experience in transforming denim manufacturing through technology to tackle textile-to-textile recycling. He emphasised that recycling should become a collaborative, pre-competitive space where companies work together to develop industry-wide solutions.
Scott Hamlin, founder and CEO of Looptworks, noted that the company has collaborated with HKRITA for more than a decade and described Green Machine as a breakthrough for recycling blended textiles. He said the technology enables valuable fibre recovery at scale, while demonstrating that circular solutions can be both environmentally sustainable and commercially viable.
HKRITA has invited textile recyclers, apparel brands and manufacturing partners to join the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem to accelerate the adoption of scalable circular textile solutions across the global industry.
