What if clothing didn't have an end—but a new beginning? In Switzerland, too few old textiles are still being reused or recycled to a high standard. To change this, our textile industry needs a functioning circular system. We at NIKIN also NIKIN circularity as the most sustainable solution in the fashion industry, since clothing is made from valuable resources. For this reason, we have joined Fabric Loop, an association dedicated to promoting the circular economy in the Swiss textile industry. As a member, we want to take responsibility and support the availability of circular products in Switzerland.
What is Fabric Loop?
Fabric Loop is a private-sector, non-profit industry organizationthat, in coordination with European initiatives, is developing a solution for the nationwide organization and financingof reuse, repair and recycling. Fabric Loop was founded by the Swiss Textiles Association together with Calida, Mammut, Odlo, PKZ, Radys, Switcher, and Workfashion. Other members include for example Muntagnard, Mammut, and TRANSA. The goal of Fabric Loop is to through greater transparency a textile industryicircular economy toachieve, instead of old textiles being lost. This requires cooperation along the value chain, as zcircular fashion must be conceived from the very beginning: from design and production to the return of materials to the cycle.
Today, there is a lack of but for various textiles a collection and recycling infrastructure, meaning that recycled fibers are not available in sufficient quantities or quality. This is due, on the one hand, to a lack of transparency, making it unclear where collected textiles end up, and, on the other hand, to a shortage ofincentives incentives through practical standards that circularity in the fashion industry. For this reason, we are committed to an industry initiative that addresses the challenges of Swiss textile industry andand can address them in a targeted manner. This will structures and incentives for nationwide collection, sorting, reuse, repair, and high-quality recycling are created, financed through an upfront circular economy contribution and coordinated with European initiatives. As part of a business case, targets will be set in 2026 and a system will be established so that implementation can begin in 2027.
Why the circular economy is crucial in the fashion industry
Circular economy in the fashion industry is crucial because clothing is made from valuable raw materials. In a functioning circular economy, these raw materials do not become waste at the end of their life cycle, but rather the starting point for new products. Under today’s linear economic model, however, the fashion industry is one of the most resource-intensive industries worldwide. Every garment requires raw materials, water, energy, and transportation. If clothing is discarded after a short time, all these resources are lost.
This is exactly where the circular economy comes in. It examines not only how a product is manufactured, but also what happens to it after use. The goal is to conserve materials through durable design, repair, reuse, and recycling . This is particularly important in the textile industry because many materials are valuable and technically recyclable. When we design clothing with circularity in mind from the very beginning, we reduce waste, conserve resources, and create a more sustainable future for the industry. In this way, every garment becomes a resource for the next product.
The circular economy is therefore not a trend, but a necessary step. For us, this means taking responsibility—from design to the next life cycle of a product. The highest sstandard in circularity is the “Cradle to" Cradle”, developed in the 1990s by Michael Braungart and William McDonough . It describes a consistent circular economy in which all materials are completely returned to biologicalor technical cycles. The principle aims to conserving resources and waste reduction by creating an closed cycle .
NIKIN Role NIKIN Part of Fabric Loop
Our goal is to make clothing without harming the environment. That is why we we set a goal to be fully circular by 2030. To achieve this goal, we on innovation in materials and concepts, which we use. For selected products, for example, we use the innovative materials naNea® and NOOSA®. In addition, last year we also launched our own “Circular cashback” Program launched. With this, we’re giving your used products a second life and return valuable resources back into the cyclef. To this end, we have developed circular products such as the Treeanie Circular, the TreeShirt Circular and the TreeHoodie Circular . Learn more about our circular materials and our “Circular Cashback” Find out more in our Circular series.
At the same time, we look beyond our own brand. IIn the context of Switzerland as a whole, we want to take responsibility and be a pioneer in sustainability in the textile industry contribute to the range of recyclable products in Switzerland expand.
The Future of Circular Fashion
Circular fashion is more than just a trend—it is the logical evolution of an industry in transition. In the future, it will no longer be just how a product looks or how it is produced that matters, but whether it is part of a functioning cycle. This means that materials will be developed in such a way that they can be recycled. Products will become more durable, repairable, and transparent. And systems will be created that make return, recycling, and reuse a matter of course.
If we look back at history, we see that the circular economy was the norm for most of our history. Although the term was only defined in the 20th century, both the basic idea and the techniques are as old as humanity itself. Historically speaking, our current throwaway society is an anomaly. Raw materials were valuable, and the most complete possible (re)use of all resources was essential. With the Industrial Revolution and the “1950s syndrome”—cheap oil and more affordable raw materials—the value of things plummeted, so that they increasingly became disposable products. As a result, mountains of waste grew, and we are still grappling with the consequences of this development today.
But a return to genuinea A true circular economy cannot function on its own. It requires cooperation along the entire value chain, from the fiber to its return to the next life cycle. Brands, producers, recycling partners, and consumers*share responsibility. To drive sustainable industry transformation and shape a circular future for textiles, we need not only regulations but also industry-led solutions. Only in this way can the circular economy be established as the standard in the textile industry.
For us, it’s clearthat the future of fashion is circular. Step by step, we want to help ensure that recyclable products do not remain the exception, but become the new standard.
Learn more about our Journey to Circularity .
