At RE&UP, we believe the future of fashion isn’t just about collecting waste, it’s about what you do with it. Today, we are proud to announce our role as the circular recycling partner for Madewell’s newest textile-to-textile recycled denim capsule, engineered in collaboration with ISKO.
While denim take-back programs are a vital first step, moving from “downcycling” to high-value textile-to-textile recycling remains a significant industrial hurdle.
Post-consumer denim is complex. It’s a mix of different wear histories, hardware, and poly-cotton blends. To successfully close the loop, these variables require more than standard recycling, they require industrial-scale precision.
For this capsule, RE&UP processed approximately 20,000 pairs of post-consumer jeans from Madewell’s established take-back stream. Utilizing our proprietary, feedstock-agnostic technology, the project demonstrated a scalable path for worn garments:
- Deconstructing the complex mechanical history of each garment.
- Transforming the waste into high-quality Next-Gen Cotton and Polyester fibers.
- Creating a “raw canvas” that allowed ISKO to weave high-performance, GRS-certified fabrics without compromising on the stretch or durability Madewell is known for.
This isn’t just a limited collection; it’s a proof of concept for the entire denim sector. By integrating RE&UP’s technology directly into their existing take-back stream, Madewell is demonstrating how a global brand can turn its own waste into its greatest resource.
