An estimated 100 billion garments are made each year—and only 1% of used clothing gets recycled. Most clothes are made from polycotton blends; historically, it’s been difficult to separate the polyester from the cotton in order to recycle. Circ developed a way to separate these materials so they can be reused, and the company is scaling quickly. In 2025, it inked partnerships with 13 major brands including H&M, Zara, and Christian Siriano, all of which incorporated Circ-recycled textiles into their products. By working with existing partners along supply chains, Circ makes it easier for brands to adopt recycled materials, says CEO Peter Majeranowski. What’s next? Circ plans to build the world's first commercial-scale polycotton recycling factory in France. "Our vision is to do what happened in the ’90s and early 2000s with paper, but with clothing," says Majeranowski.…