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From the raw materials it sources to the waste generated across its operations, Primark is taking steps to manage the natural resources it relies on responsibly.
Denim designed to meet Primark's Circular Product Standard
Primark is advancing its circularity ambitions by embedding circular principles across product development and business operations, with the aim of extending the life of clothing and reducing textile waste. Key initiatives include designing products with circularity in mind, increasing the use of recycled and Primark preferred sources. Recognising that there is no single solution to achieving greater circularity, Primark continues to evolve its approach, aligning with industry best practice and emerging regulatory requirements.
Primark has worked with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation since 2018 and sits on its Advisory Board for Fashion. Inspired by the Foundation's vision of a circular economy for fashion, Primark’s Circular Product Standard (‘CPS’) sets out the criteria products must meet to be considered circular by design, including requirements relating to materials, durability and recyclability.
As of July 2026, 6% of all of Primark’s clothing unit sales are circular by design, meeting the ‘Foundational’ criteria set out by its CPS1. Within its focus categories, 21% of all jersey and 15% of all denim clothing unit sales are now circular by design. This metric includes products containing cotton from the Primark Cotton Project, recycled cotton and Cotton made in Africa (CmiA)2.
In 2026, Primark launched an updated CPS, informed by 18 months of collaboration with suppliers and recyclers, insights from its supplier and colleague training programme, in addition to developments in legislation and textile-to-textile recycling. The updated CPS aims to provide practical, achievable and scalable solutions. Key enhancements include an expanded materials scope, incorporating polyester and water-based prints, and the consolidation of the previous three-tier circularity framework into two tiers. It also includes a definition of their ‘Progressive’ level to set clear expectations for ‘better’ design, raising the bar on materials, durability and recyclability requirements to make circular design at Primark clearer and more actionable. The updated CPS takes a pragmatic approach to scaling circularity by balancing material performance, product functionality and recyclability.
Primark has collaborated with the Circular Textiles Foundation on a training programme to build capability and embed circular design principles into product development and decision-making. The programme included deep dives with buyers, designers, quality teams and suppliers across nine product categories.
1.As per Primark Circular Product Standard 1.0
Primark continues to build its understanding of textile-to-textile recycling, particularly the opportunities and challenges associated with post-consumer recycled materials. Insights from pilot initiatives are helping to inform how these materials can be used effectively across products and categories. In September 2026, Primark announced its long-term partnership with Circ to scale the use of textile-to-textile recycled fibres. The partnership will enable the introduction of recycled polyester made from textile waste into Primark clothing by 2029.
Looking ahead, Primark will continue to expand circular design practices, increase its use of recycled and innovative materials, and evolve its approach in line with emerging regulation, technological developments and industry best practice. Value chain collaboration will remain critical to accelerating progress towards a more circular fashion system.
Primark’s ambition is to phase out conventional cotton and diversify preferred fibre sources to reduce sourcing risks, scale recycled fibres, and accelerate innovation in textile‑to‑textile solutions. As of July 2026, 81% of clothing units sold contained recycled or more sustainably sourced materials (recycled polyester, recycled polyamide/nylon), recycled acrylic, recycled cotton, cotton from the Primark Cotton Project, CmiA, Organic Cotton, Viscose, Modal and Lyocel)1 and 64% of cotton clothing unit sales contained cotton from Primark preferred sources (cotton from the Primark Cotton Project, recycled cotton, organic cotton and CmiA)1. This progress was supported by Primark’s partnership with Recover™, which turns textile waste into high-quality recycled cotton fibres and blends. Primark has scaled the Recover™ RCotton2 range across jersey, denim and casual trousers categories.
Primark also added traceable cotton certified to the CmiA Standard as a preferred cotton source, alongside organic, recycled cotton and cotton from the Primark Cotton Project. Integrated into Primark’s supply chain this year, CmiA shares similar ambitions with the Primark Cotton Project, including improving farming practices, supporting smallholder farmers and empowering women.
Extending the life of its clothes remains a key focus for Primark. In 2024, it published its Durability Framework, developed in consultation with WRAP and the UK Textiles Pact. It provides practical durability testing guidelines to contribute to industry best practice in an area where no recognised standard currently exists.
The framework is built around two pillars, extended wash testing and physical performance testing, supported by continuous improvement principles that embed durability throughout the product lifecycle. Since January 2024, eligible (machine washable) clothing has been tested to an aspirational 45-wash standard alongside physical performance testing to help support longer-lasting products.
Looking ahead, Primark is reviewing the framework to ensure it remains aligned with emerging legislation, evolving industry expectations and in support of other strategic ambitions in the business.
Primark’s textile take-back programme covers approximately 80% of its stores, collecting over 1,500 tonnes of end-of-use textiles since the programme began in 2020.
In 2026, 95% of waste produced in Primark’s operations was diverted from landfill, up from 93%. This improvement is a reflection of efforts in-store to encourage recycling and improve key aspects of Primark's waste partner network. There has been greater resourcing and focus on existing shopping centre locations to understand and evidence how waste is managed locally at these sites. As laws change and infrastructure develops in many of Primark’s operating areas, Primark continues to engage and encourage shopping centres, which manage waste on its behalf to seek ways of further improvement. Across its business, Primark is working to standardise waste management and educate colleagues on how retail and head office waste can be reused and recycled.
Supply Chain
Primark continues to develop its approach to managing post-industrial textile waste generated across its manufacturing supply chain. A key focus is improving visibility and traceability of waste flows through the use of technology-enabled platforms, supporting a better understanding of the volumes, locations and composition of waste generated.
By strengthening waste data and traceability, Primark aims to identify opportunities to improve waste management, increase the recovery of valuable materials and assess the potential of post-industrial waste as a source of recycled feedstock. This work supports the development of more circular and resource-efficient supply chains, while building a stronger evidence base to inform future opportunities.
Primark continues to take a pragmatic approach to packaging change, prioritising solutions that can be implemented at scale and aligned with product protection and regulatory requirements. Some packaging formats, including those used for liquids, creams and moisture‑sensitive products, remain necessary to ensure hygiene, usability and product integrity throughout the supply chain.
Clothes hangers continue to represent a significant proportion of Primark’s overall plastic packaging volumes. The business has further increased the use of recycled content in plastic hangers during 2026, as part of its longer-term ambition to transition hanger materials to recycled alternatives where technically and operationally feasible.
Primark continues to evaluate alternative packaging materials across selected apparel categories. During 2026, plastic polybags used in certain product ranges were replaced with fibre‑based cardboard packaging formats.
The transition from plastic polybags to fibre-based cardboard packaging reflects Primark’s focus on removing unnecessary plastic where viable. The new formats have been developed in collaboration with nominated suppliers to support consistency, scalability and operational efficiency.
The initiative builds on earlier packaging innovations and demonstrates how targeted material changes can contribute to reduced plastic use across high‑volume product areas, while maintaining customer experience.
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Primark's cardboard clothes hangers
