The transition to circular textiles took a significant step forward with the successful completion of the Mono.Loop.Poly project. By bringing together expertise in material innovation, product design, collection systems, and advanced recycling, the initiative proved that polyester garments can be continuously recycled into virgin-quality raw materials, closing the loop for textile production.
The future of circular textiles is no longer a concept—it has been proven.
As part of the Mono.Loop.Poly project, a two-year collaborative initiative supported by Innosuisse, industry and research partners came together to demonstrate that polyester textiles can be designed, collected, recycled, and remanufactured into new products without compromising quality or performance.
Inspired by the successful recycling loop established for PET bottles, the project set out to create a comparable system for polyester textiles. The result is a comprehensive textile-to-textile (T2T) framework consisting of recycling standards and a design library that enables manufacturers to develop products fully compatible with circular recycling systems.
Designing for Circularity from the Start
A key objective of Mono.Loop.Poly was to prove that circularity begins at the design stage. Project partners developed guidelines and standards that allow textiles to be created with their next life in mind, ensuring they can be effectively recycled at the end of use.
To put these principles into practice, the consortium designed and manufactured a fully functional jacket prototype. Developed according to the project's circular design standards, the garment achieved high-performance requirements while remaining compatible with textile-to-textile recycling. Notably, the jacket delivered elasticity without the use of elastane—one of the industry's most common barriers to textile recycling.
From Garment Back to Raw Material
The ultimate test of the system came at the end of the jacket's lifecycle.
After manufacturing, the jacket garments were supplied to DePoly for recycling trials, where the company applied its proprietary chemical recycling technology to recover the material's original building blocks.
The results demonstrated the viability of true textile-to-textile recycling. The recovered recyclate met industry quality standards and was equivalent to virgin-quality raw material, making it suitable for the production of new polyester products.
What would traditionally be treated as textile waste was successfully transformed into a valuable resource ready to re-enter the manufacturing cycle. Rather than downcycling the material into lower-value applications, the process preserved its quality and enabled it to be used again and again.
Collaboration Across the Value Chain
The success of Mono.Loop.Poly highlights the importance of collaboration across the textile ecosystem. Achieving circularity requires contributions from every stage of the value chain, from material development and product design to collection, recycling, and remanufacturing.
Each project partner played a critical role in demonstrating the feasibility of textile-to-textile recycling. Monosuisse AG developed the polyester yarn, while Schoeller Textil AG produced the fabric used in the prototype. ROTAUF designed and manufactured the jacket, and I care. Iceep established the take-back system that enabled material collection. HSLU Design Film Kunst led the research initiative and created the design library that formed the basis of the project's circular design standards, while OST contributed engineering expertise for injection molding solutions. Finally, DePoly closed the loop by converting the garment back into virgin-quality raw materials using its proprietary chemical recycling technology.
The project was made possible through the support of Innosuisse, Swiss Textiles, and Testex, whose contributions helped bring together the expertise needed to create a viable blueprint for circular polyester textiles.
Setting a New Standard for Textile Circularity
Mono.Loop.Poly demonstrates that textile-to-textile recycling can move beyond pilot concepts and become a practical, scalable solution for the industry.
By combining circular product design, collection infrastructure, and advanced recycling technology, the project established a blueprint for keeping polyester textiles in continuous circulation. The successful recycling of the jacket prototype proves that high-performance garments can be designed for circularity and returned to virgin-quality raw materials at the end of their use.
As the textile industry seeks solutions to reduce waste and dependence on virgin resources, initiatives such as Mono.Loop.Poly show that circularity is achievable when innovation is combined with collaboration. The project marks an important step toward a future where textiles are no longer viewed as waste, but as valuable materials that remain in use through multiple lifecycles.
The successful completion of the project demonstrates that textile-to-textile recycling can become the standard rather than the exception, helping accelerate the transition to a truly circular textile economy.
Press Contact
Zoë Pfiffer
PR Coordinator
media@depoly.co
About Mono.Loop.Poly
Mono.Loop.Poly is a Swiss innovation project focused on establishing a circular textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling system for polyester textiles. Inspired by the closed-loop recycling model used for PET bottles, the initiative brings together partners from across the textile value chain to demonstrate how polyester garments can be designed, produced, collected, recycled, and remanufactured into new products. Over two years, the project developed recycling standards, circular design guidelines, and a design library to support the creation of products compatible with T2T recycling systems. Supported by Innosuisse, Mono.Loop.Poly serves as a blueprint for advancing circularity in the textile industry and reducing textile waste through scalable, high-quality recycling solutions.
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DePoly’s technology recycles unsorted, dirty PET waste into virgin-grade raw materials. Those PET precursors, PTA and MEG, are used by the industry to produce new plastics without the need for fossil fuels, while diverting valuable materials from landfills and incineration.
DePoly SA –
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DePoly’s technology recycles unsorted, dirty PET waste into virgin-grade raw materials. Those PET precursors, PTA and MEG, are used by the industry to produce new plastics without the need for fossil fuels, while diverting valuable materials from landfills and incineration.
This operation benefits from support from the European Union under the InvestEU Fund
