Welcome to Upstream Circularity

In the final episode of the Upstream Circularity podcast, we explore how fashion brands and industry stakeholders can take post-industrial recycling from theory to reality. Host Faith Robinson is joined by Alexander Granberg, Recycling and Innovation Materials Manager at BESTSELLER, and Karla Magruder, Founder and President of Accelerating Circularity, to discuss what it takes to scale more circular systems - from integrating recycled materials into new products to designing policies that incentivise circularity. This episode unpacks key challenges and opportunities in making circularity mainstream, including material innovation and the role of collaboration in accelerating change. What are the biggest barriers to widespread adoption? And how can the global fashion sector work together to drive real impact? Learn more at www.globalfashionagenda.org

The journey to circularity doesn’t end at traceability. Once waste is identified, it needs to be efficiently collected, sorted, and directed to the right recycling streams. In this episode of Upstream Circularity, we explore the pivotal role of textile waste aggregation with Abdur Razzaque, Managing Director of RECYCLE-RAW, and Ebru Özküçük Güler, Chief Sustainability Officer at RE&UP. From the bustling sorting centers of Bangladesh to recycling innovations in Turkey, our guests reveal the complexities of waste collection, the crucial role of social compliance, and how improving sorting efficiency can drastically scale textile-to-textile recycling. Estimates suggest that of all the materials the global textile industry uses, just 0.3% come from recycled sources, despite the fact that existing technologies have the potential to push this to 80% - but how do we get there? Join us as we break down the challenges, the solutions, and the human stories behind circularity’s next big step. Learn more at www.globalfashionagenda.org

How can fashion move beyond waste and unlock new value in discarded materials? In this episode of Upstream Circularity, we take a deep dive into textile waste segregation and traceability - the first steps in building a circular supply chain. Faith Robinson is joined by Marina Chahboune, Founder of Closed Loop Fashion, and Nin Castle, Co-founder of Reverse Resources, to uncover how post-industrial textile waste can be identified, sorted, and reintegrated into new production cycles. Together, they explore the hidden complexities of textile waste management, from the challenges of tracking waste streams to the opportunities of digital traceability. This episode starts to explore the often-overlooked role of waste handlers and provides an introduction to making circular supply chains a reality. Tune in to discover how small shifts in mindset and infrastructure can significantly advance textile-to-textile recycling. Learn more at www.globalfashionagenda.org

Discover how fashion can lead the way towards circularity with Upstream Circularity, a podcast produced by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), a non-profit organisation that fosters industry collaboration on sustainability in fashion to accelerate impact. Across three upcoming episodes, host Faith Robinson speaks with industry experts working at the beginning, or upstream, of the fashion value chain to uncover practical insights for transforming waste into new resources. Rooted in the findings of The Upstream Circularity Playbook, this series breaks down real-world case studies and explores the technical innovations and systemic shifts needed to scale textile-to-textile recycling. In this introductory episode, Federica Marchionni, CEO, GFA, sets the stage for the series, breaking down the current state of circularity, the key challenges preventing large-scale implementation, and the solutions - driven by Global Fashion Agenda - already driving change in the industry. Tune in to explore how we can reimagine waste and accelerate circularity in fashion. Learn more at www.globalfashionagenda.org