Denim Mills Lean On Circular Fibers for Fall/Winter 25-26

Angela Velasquez
·4 min read

Fibers are the backbone of denim mills’ innovations. For Fall/Winter 2025-2026 that means circularity, performance and freedom of movement.

Crescent Bahuman Limited (CBL) is shifting gears. “Amid the recent unfortunate news of Renewcell’s bankruptcy and disruptions in the Lenzing Refibra fiber supply chain, our focus is on identifying the best alternatives to sustain our commitment to environmental goals,” said Imran Tanveer, CBL assistant VP, research and development. “Presently, OnceMore viscose fibers and Lenzing Ecovero are serving as viable alternatives, ensuring continuity in our sustainable initiatives at CBL.”

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The mill is also using X4J elastic fiber, a thermoplastic polyurethane fiber manufactured differently from conventional elastane. Though it has been in the market for several seasons, Tanveer said has primarily been utilized as a filament.

“However, through innovative yarn development techniques, we have successfully transformed X4J fiber into a spun variant. This enhancement not only improves the fabric’s hand feel but also retains its inherent stretch properties, offering a seamless blend of comfort and functionality,” he said.

In addition to using recycled linen created by post-industrial waste, Naveena Denim Mills is launching a collaboration with Lenzing that brings together Tencel fibers and regenerative cotton.

“The entire regenerative farming topic became important in the supply chain and regenerative cotton is getting more attention from many leading brands in the denim industry,” said Berke Aydemir, Naveena Denim Mills head of R&D and technical sales.

Orta is adding recycled wool fiber to give a cozy and warm feeling to denim. The fiber gives the fabrics added character while promoting circularity. The Turkish mill also uses organic cotton, recycled cotton, recycled PES, Tencel and Ecovero in its fabrics this season.

Advance Denim is expanding its Ecocool line of denim that utilizes Naia Renew for enhanced wicking benefits but also added carbon zero Tencel for added softness. “The mixture of these two sustainable fibers creates styles that are both soft, functional and sustainable,” said Mark Ix, Advance Denim’s director of North American marketing.

SM Denim is launching Paper Denim, a fabric that contains recycled paper. The innovative fabric is lightweight and breathable with a distinct texture that sets it apart. The Pakistani mill is also matte Tencel to improve the drape and softness of fabrics.

There’s a strong presence of 100 percent cotton denim in Raymond UCO Denim’s collection. There are also zero cotton fabrications, and other natural fibers like jute and Kapok, a natural hollow fiber for comfort and insulation.

AGI Denim is introducing denim made with Creora Bio-based, a fiber that decreases the carbon footprint and lessens dependence on fossil fuels by substituting meaningful amounts of petroleum-derived raw materials with bio resources. Meanwhile, Cone Denim is launching a lightweight stretch option using Creora Regen, a more sustainable, GRS-certified spandex alternative. The mill is also focusing heavily on Tencel and cotton blends and circular fibers.

One of the ways Artistic Milliners addresses circularity this season is through its partnership with Lenzing and its pioneering use of 32MM Tencel. The shorter fiber structure dramatically improves compatibility with recycled cotton.

“We’ve been aiming to increase recycled content, and 32MM Tencel lets us use up to 50 percent recycled materials from our own Circular Park facility while maintaining a soft hand-feel and those classic denim looks,” said Baber Sultan, Artistic Milliners director of product development and research.

Sapphire Mills is incorporating Q-Cycle into its collection. The yarn is produced with 100 percent non-fossil feedstock in a mass balance approach. Ismael Abdullah, Sapphire Mills director, said Q-Cycle yarns “significantly reduce CO2 emissions and water usage, valorizing end-of-life car tires into a premium product while maintaining polyamide performance.”

Recycled cotton has been a priority of Bossa. The mill’s recycling facility has started operating at 100 percent capacity.

Bossa continues to look for new fibers, however. Its latest development is Saxcell blended denim. Saxcell fibers are produced by harnessing recycled textiles with agricultural waste and wood with lyocell technology, offering a responsible alternative to traditional regenerated cellulose fibers.

“With Saxcell blended denim, we’re able to create denim fabrics not only to meet high standards of quality and performance but also prioritize environmental conservation,” said Muge Tunceren, Bossa’s product development manager.