From Waste to New Fiber: Knowledge and Material Flows in a Circular Textile Ecosystem

It is now known that transitioning from a linear to a circular economy is vital for achieving sustainability in the textile and fashion industries. This transition involves not only closing material loops and incorporating waste into business models but also establishing circular ecosystems characterized by flows of material, knowledge, and economic value. Circular ecosystems involve actors from previously disconnected industries and sectors, which presents new challenges in terms of knowledge exchange and collaboration. This chapter investigates the knowledge and material flows in a European ecosystem that produces circular garments from a chemically regenerated cellulosic fiber. Our findings highlight the interdependence of material and knowledge flows in the ecosystem, with the textile material itself serving as an important carrier of knowledge. We examine knowledge flows related to learning and ecosystemic collaboration, as well as to the material, technological, and business knowledge in circular innovation. We found that knowledge flows across ecosystem boundaries were essential for promoting a broader circular transition among both industry and consumers and for facilitating a dialogue with European policymakers. Understanding knowledge and material flows in circular textile ecosystems is crucial for the further development of circular ecosystems and the planning of the related policy and support measures.