Candiani Doubles Down on Recycled Denim

There are no one-size-fits-all solutions for circularity and Candiani Denim knows this.

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Alongside scaling its biodegradable stretch denim with its Coreva technology , the Italian mill is re-centering its focus on recycled denim.

The mill recently launched Re-Cyclone, a R&D program dedicated to post-industrial and post-consumer recycled denim. The program combines several of Candiani’s proprietary innovations with the recycling expertise of Humana People to People Italia and Filatura Astro to create a feedstock of recyclable content.

Humana People to People Italia collects old garments using containers placed around Italy with the goal to give them a second chance. Garments that are too worn or damaged have their buttons, zippers, patches and other trims removed for recycling. Filatura Astro then shreds and spins these garments into new yarns, which Candiani uses on recycled denim fabrics.

Candiani has also linked with Sharabati Denim to utilize its significant post-industrial waste volumes to scale recycled denim.

“We believe that developing innovative and virtuous solutions is the first necessary step towards a circular economy, but they need to be scaled up to make a real difference. Internally, we have trouble with this because the volumes we produce are below the industry average,” the mill stated.

The Re-Cyclone collection includes three fabrics made with 100 percent post-industrial recycled cotton, one made with 57 percent post-industrial recycled cotton, and one made with 38 percent post-consumer recycled cotton. The blended fabrics contain either regenerative or organic virgin cotton.

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Candiani said it is not yet able to produce 100 percent mechanical post-consumer recycled fabric due to it being weaker compared to post-industrial recycled fibers. However, the mill’s proprietary Blue Seed cotton enhances the strength and durability of post-consumer recycled fabrics.

Introduced in 2022, Blue Seed cotton combines the high quality of extra-long staple cotton with the robustness of Upland cotton, providing strength, durability, and an exceptional hand feel. Additionally, Candiani said the traceable cotton can be blended with an above-average quantity of post-consumer recycled fibers.

Re-Cyclone fabrics also utilize Candiani’s patented sizing technology, Kitotex , which replaces petrol-based PVA with a bio-based polymer from renewable sources called chitosan, and Indigo Juice, a dyeing technology that leaves color more superficial on the yarns and makes the fading process easier.

Candiani noted that the R&D program is not just about the fabric composition. It’s also about proving that it is possible to produce recycled denim fabrics that are aesthetically pleasing and on par with industry standards. Fabrics feature authentic salt and pepper effects and medium-dark indigo shades with a red cast. The mill also uses foam to play with the color saturation of the fabric, creating a unique and rich cast.

In TK, Candiani launched ReGen, a family of fabrics containing 50 percent recycled cotton and 50 percent Tencel x Refibra fibers.

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