Primark Joins Denim Deal to Boost Recycled Cotton Use

by · WWD
PrimarkCourtesy

Denim Deal has added Primark as its largest brand partner to date.

On Tuesday, the Dublin-based fashion chain announced it has joined the industry-leading initiative committed to standardizing circular practices in denim production. Denim Deal unites brands, manufacturers, recyclers and policymakers in its mission to catalyze the production of 1 billion pairs of jeans containing at least 20 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) cotton by 2030.

Primark said it will work alongside other members to share knowledge and address some of the challenges involved in scaling post-consumer recycled cotton in denim. “The partnership unlocks access to industry expertise, technical and sourcing support, as well as opportunities for collaborative research and development,” the retailer stated.

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In a LinkedIn post, Denim Deal said Primark “brings significant scale and reach to the Denim Deal, alongside a growing focus on circular design, recyclability, and the use of recycled materials across its collections.”

The organization added that Primark’s participation represents a step toward reaching the scale needed to create wider industry impact. “Because increasing the use of post-consumer recycled cotton is not only a technical challenge. It also requires demand, long-term commitment, and collaboration between brands, retailers, mills, manufacturers, recyclers, and innovators across the value chain,” Denim Deal stated.

Other Denim Deal members include Urban Outfitters, Realteks, Marmara Hemp, FibreTrace, DNM Denim and more.

Primark’s membership aligns with its existing work with recycled materials.

In February, Primark launched a five-piece denim collection made with fabrics that contain a minimum of 20 percent recycled denim. The remainder of denim fabric was made cotton from the Primark Cotton Project, an initiative supports cotton farmers across India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan by helping them adopt farming practices which use less water and fewer chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

The collection was designed to address common barriers to recycling at the end of a garment’s life, like removing stretch and unnecessary metal elements such as rivets.

Primark has been chasing circularity in denim for years. In 2021, the retailer bowed its first denim collection designed in line with the Ellen MacArthur Jeans Redesign guidelines.

Since then, the retailer has introduced Circular Product Standard 2.0, a standard that focuses on three areas: durability, materials and recyclability. In 2024/25, 8 percent of denim units sold by Primark met its circular-by-design criteria.

Through the Denim Deal, Primark said it “will build on this work by learning from others across the industry and exploring practical opportunities to further increase the use of post-consumer recycled cotton in its denim.”

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