International fashion retailer Primark has partnered with the Circular Textiles Foundation to develop an in-depth training program for its Design and Product divisions. The program aims to advance circular design principles in clothing with a focus on the recycling process, in line with Primark’s commitment to produce more recyclable clothing by 2027.

As part of the programme, Primark’s design and product teams, alongside selected suppliers, will look at each Primark clothing category to understand how the principles of circularity can be applied based on the unique characteristics of each product type. The foundation will also run a series of workshops to help teams put circular design theory into practice and show them how to translate this philosophy into everyday life.

Nicholas Lambert, Head of Circularity at Primark, said: “This is the next step for us at Primark to really start applying the principles of circular design to the way we design and make products. Our teams are looking forward to- and hone their skills and understand how we can improve our design standards through this new tailored training program.We want our in-house designers and suppliers to continue to create fun and innovative ways to improve our products beyond expectations our customers.”

Tim Cross, founder of the Circular Textiles Foundation, added: “Knowledge sharing is crucial to tackling industry issues in step with current trends and that’s where our foundation comes in. We’re transforming circular design and clothing recycling into a mainstream direction, making them accessible and available to everyone. We hope that our partnership with Primark will encourage change across the industry and take us one step closer to this goal. We look forward to starting this journey with Primark and creating new opportunities together. “

The partnership between Primark and the Circular Textiles Foundation builds on the foundation’s first in-house circular design training program last year, with over 500 Primark employees taking part. The initial programme, developed in collaboration with the Circle Economy and Sustainable Fashion Academy, was designed to educate Primark’s designers and product teams on the core principles of a circular economy, as well as Primark’s Circular Product Standard.

To give its products a longer life, Primark has committed to having all its clothing made from recyclable materials by 2027.