Today, on 20 November, Dutch textile innovator Brightfiber and high-end fashion label MARTAN present their first fully circular knitwear line during a pop-up event in Amsterdam. The launch marks an important moment for sustainable fashion in the Netherlands. The brands introduce premium knitwear made from locally recycled cotton, without dyes or synthetic blends.

Circular yarn technology for high-quality textiles

Brightfiber has developed an advanced system that sorts textile waste automatically by fibre composition and colour. This method allows the company to turn used garments into new, high-quality fibres, yarns and fabrics. Because the process relies on accurate colour sorting, Brightfiber no longer needs chemical dyes. It also avoids adding non-recyclable materials, which helps designers create products that fit fully within a circular framework.

From discarded clothing to premium knitwear

For MARTAN’s first circular jumper, Brightfiber created a yarn blend with 70% recycled cotton. More than half comes from post-consumer garments collected across the Netherlands. The rest comes from industrial cotton waste streams that would otherwise go to landfill or incineration. The company transforms these fibres into a mono-material textile that feels soft, looks refined and can enter the recycling loop again at the end of its life. This quality makes the material appealing not only to fashion designers but also to interior and product designers exploring durable, low-impact textiles.

Design rooted in circular thinking

MARTAN releases the jumper in two colourways: a deep anthracite blue and a mélange of ice grey, blue and fresh green. The cropped silhouette, structured rib and half-high neckline reflect MARTAN’s sculptural design approach. The material itself tells the story of Brightfiber’s circular craftsmanship. Each piece shows how designers can combine aesthetic value with responsible material use.

Transparent material journeys

Each jumper includes a hangtag with a QR code. Consumers can scan it to view the full circular journey of the garment through Europe. The digital overview shows where the textiles originated, how Brightfiber sorted the fibres and how MARTAN crafted the final product. This insight helps users understand the environmental benefits of recycled cotton and circular design models.

Through this collaboration, Brightfiber and MARTAN demonstrate how local recycling, material innovation and refined design can work together. Their collection sets a new benchmark for circular fashion in the Netherlands and offers designers a clear example of how to create high-quality products that keep materials in use for as long as possible.

Source: Brightfiber via Duurzaam Ondernemen
Photo: Eduard Snoerwang / MARTAN