Primark Strengthens Circular Fashion Push with Updated Product Standard 2.0
Fashion and lifestyle retailer Primark has unveiled its updated Circular Product Standard 2.0, aiming to scale circular design across its operations by tightening requirements on materials, durability, and recyclability. Originally introduced in 2023, the revised framework introduces a new “progressive design level” with stricter expectations, including the use of post-consumer recycled textiles. The update is based on three years of learning, testing, and collaboration, and seeks to establish a clearer, more practical approach for both the company and its suppliers while defining what “circular by design” means in practice.
The enhanced standard emphasizes designing clothes for longevity, incorporating sustainably sourced or recycled fibres, and ensuring garments can be recycled at the end of their lifecycle. Circular design has now been embedded across nine key product categories, including denim, jersey, knitwear, and dresses. As a result, 5 percent of Primark’s clothing units sold in the 2024/2025 financial year were classified as circular by design, with higher adoption seen in categories like jersey (20 percent) and denim (8 percent). The company also highlighted small but impactful design changes, such as reducing elastic waistband depth, removing non-functional metal elements, and adopting more recyclable printing techniques.
Nicholas Lambert, Head of Circularity and Materials at Primark, stated that the updated standard reflects the company’s commitment to continuous progress rather than perfection. He noted that evolving regulations and advancements in textile recycling technologies are reshaping industry understanding of circular design. With more than 475 stores across 18 countries and a workforce exceeding 80,000, Primark aims to make circular fashion accessible and affordable while adapting to new regulatory demands and driving long-term sustainability in the fashion industry.
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