Primark is launching its first product range designed and made to be reloved or recycled. Available mid-April, the collection is designed using Primark’s new Circular Product Standard based on principles established by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

This 35-piece collection includes kidswear, menswear and womenswear and is designed and made to be worn for longer to help reduce fashion waste. From fibre composition to enhanced durability and recyclability, each piece works to support Primark’s ambition to move towards a more circular future. This collection is the first for Primark, with more planned for later in the year.

Every piece in the collection has been designed and made to be reloved or recycled with a focus on three key parts:

More sustainably sourced materials: The clothes in the collection use at least 95% cotton from the Primark Sustainable Cotton Programme, which trains cotton farmers to use less water, chemical fertilisers and pesticides, earning an increased profit as a result. The other 5% is made up of trims, embellishments or buttons which, where possible, have been designed to be removable or recyclable.

Durability: Everything has a life cycle, even clothes. But how long an item should last and what Primark and customers can do to extend its life is something Primark is challenging itself to address. This new collection has been tested for increased durability in line with Primark’s new enhanced durability wash standard.

Recyclability: Every piece is designed to be recycled at the end of its life. This means, where possible, trims and buttons can be removed so the items can be more easily reused or recycled. Whether that be into new fibres or new products. Customers can drop their pre-loved clothing off at their local textile donation point, which are currently available in Primark stores in selected markets.

Commenting on the new collection is Nicholas Lambert, Circular Product Lead at Primark.

“This collection brings together years of work to create a new framework, with the ambition of enabling our product teams and suppliers to create more circular products that are designed with the end in mind. This has led to the creation of our first circular collection of affordable wardrobe staples that customers can rewear, repair and ultimately recycle.

“While we hope our customers enjoy wearing every piece in the collection, we also want to bring them on this journey with us as we look to change mindsets about what an affordable, circular product looks like. This collection was created by a small group of our designers, buyers and suppliers piloting our new Circular Product Standard. And, while we know this is just one small step in our commitment to become a more circular business, we’re excited to now roll these new design principles out across our business and with more suppliers, allowing us to scale it up.”

Alongside the range, Primark has published its new Circular Product Standard. This is a framework for how Primark intends to design products now and in the future and will be updated annually to reflect its progress in this space.