Material science innovator Recover has entered into a strategic manufacturing partnership with Turkey-based Ünteks Group to accelerate the commercial adoption of recycled cotton within high-volume circular knitwear. The collaboration addresses a longstanding operational hurdle in sustainable apparel production: maintaining fabric consistency and tensile performance when substituting virgin fibers with mechanically recycled alternatives.
By combining Recover's low-impact recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group's vertically integrated infrastructure - spanning automated knitting, precise wet processing, dyeing, and garment assembly - the alliance introduces a production-ready portfolio of circular constructions, including single jersey, fleece, interlock, terry, and rib variants.
Industrial scalability and regional proximity
Designed specifically for high-volume apparel programs rather than limited-edition sustainable capsules, the collaborative collection mandates a minimum incorporation of 20 per cent Recover recycled cotton across all fabric lines. Industry executives stress, achieving predictable behavior from yarn stage to finished garment requires rigorous technical adjustments. In circular knits, small variations can impact how a fabric behaves in production, notes Hakan Kılıç, CEO, Ünteks Group. A big part of the Group’s work with Recover has been adjusting and refining each step so the material runs consistently. Backed by Ünteks Group's monthly manufacturing capacity of up to 1,500 tons of fabric and one million finished garments, alongside its strategic Turkish footprint providing rapid logistical access to European markets, the partnership offers global fashion brands a reliable pathway to meet stringent regulatory mandates without sacrificing commercial scale or margin expectations.
Global materials science company, Recover specializes in low-impact, mechanically recycled cotton fiber and custom cotton blends. The company supplies its products to international apparel brands, retail chains, and core textile manufacturing sectors. It aims to expand proprietary recycling technology across multiple global hubs to support industry decarbonization targets.
Backed by significant growth investments from institutional stakeholders including Goldman Sachs and STORY3 Capital, the company has evolved from a multi-generational Spanish textile heritage into an independent circular fiber leader with modern facilities spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
