Julie Willoughby serves as the Chief Commercialization Officer at Circ, and in this episode, we are talking about fast fashion, the clothing industry, and Circ's role in bringing circularity to the world of polyester and cotton. According to statistics from The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the equivalent of a garbage truckload of clothes is burned or buried in a landfill every second, and clothing production in the world has doubled in the last 15 years, with each garment being used only half as much as before.
Our conversation with Julie explores the environmental challenges posed by polyester and cotton, including the contribution of polyester laundering to ocean microplastics and the significant water consumption of cotton cultivation and textile dying. Julie, a chemical engineer, shares her journey from academia and Nike to joining Circ, emphasizing the urgent need for change in the fashion industry.
Circ, a post-series B company, employs innovative technology to transform textile waste into recycled thread. Notable investors include Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Patagonia's Tin Shed Ventures, and Inditex, the parent company of Zara. The conversation concludes with an examination of the fashion industry's progress toward sustainability, questioning whether mainstream practices are transitioning actively or if circularity and sustainability remain primarily in the realm of research and development.
In this episode, we cover:
- Julie's background in chemical engineering
- Her return to academia at NC State
- Julie's experience at Nike and transition to Circ
- Societal and environmental impacts of fast fashion
- Circ's process of recycling (upcycling) polyester and cotton
- The rising market demand for recycled materials and reasons for this shift
- Circ's investors and partnerships
- The tipping point for sustainability in the fashion industry
- Why customer experiences and stories are critical
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Episode recorded on Oct 23, 2023 (Published on Nov 30, 2023)
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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant
Inevitable