Thailand's circular fashion debuts at New York Fashion Week: Recycled polyester fibers move from design experiments to commercial implementation

Recycled polyester fabric debuts at New York Fashion Week During New York Fashion Week, Thai fashion brand KH Editions showcased fabrics woven from deja recycled polyester yarn in its 2027 spring/summer collection. This series includes ten sets of styles, two of which are made of this recycled fiber fabric and paired with accessories, combining recycled materials with the brand’s consistent streetwear experimental style. KH Editions stated that while reinterpreting Thai craftsmanship and identity, the brand is also attempting to create new value from waste and recycled materials. This year, the brand was selected by the Thai Ministry of Commerce to participate in a program aimed at promoting Thai fashion brands and creative talents on the international stage. The deja yarn supplied by Indorama Ventures is made from recycled PET, which demonstrates that materials from sources such as discarded bottle fragments can be integrated into fashion products without sacrificing design or functionality. Napat Tansuwan, co-founder and artistic director of KH Editions, stated that the brand’s connection with recycled materials can be traced back to participating in the RECOM Young Designer Competition in 2018 and 2020, when the founder was still a student. Afterwards, the brand participated in the RECOM Collective in 2023 and 2025. He said, “We don’t see recycled materials and fabrics as design limitations, but as starting points for new possibilities. These experiences have helped us deepen our understanding of material and product development, while establishing connections with industry partners.” Indorama Ventures launched the RECOM project in 2011 in the form of the RECOM Young Designer Competition, providing emerging designers with opportunities to experiment with rPET and recycled polyester materials and develop them into products with commercial potential. In 2023, the initiative evolved into the RECOM Collective, bringing together designers and small and medium-sized enterprise entrepreneurs with material manufacturers, experts, and other industry partners to place greater emphasis on product development, brand building, and market preparation. Aradhana Lohia Sharma, Vice President of Finance and Wool Business at Indorama Ventures, stated, “Throughout the entire development process of RECOM, we have seen significant progress in people’s understanding of the circular economy and their awareness of the possibilities of recycled materials. Nowadays, the challenge is no longer just to prove that recycled materials can be transformed into new products, but to make these materials a part of the products that people are truly willing to wear, use, and purchase. ”She pointed out that KH Editions was able to create and design displays for New York Fashion Week based on its RECOM experience, indicating that the developed concept can be applied in practice. When material expertise is combined with creativity, recycled materials can be transformed into high-quality, unique products with strong market potential.

The significance of polymer additives and the fiber industry

This case provides several noteworthy signals for the fiber and fabric industry.

. Firstly, recycled polyester fibers are entering the brand’s actual product line from the concept validation stage, which means higher requirements are placed on the stability, spinnability, and final fabric performance of recycled raw materials. In the process of spinning and fiber processing, the antioxidant and weather resistant stability system plays an important role in maintaining the molecular weight, color stability, and processing consistency of recycled polyester, especially in the case of diverse sources of recycled materials and large batch fluctuations. Secondly, fashion brands’ acceptance of recycled materials is driving closer collaboration between upstream material suppliers, designers, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Platforms like RECOM Collective connect material manufacturers, experts, and brand owners, helping to shorten the cycle from fiber development to end products. For suppliers of additives and stabilizers, this means that they need to intervene in the product development stage earlier and understand the specific requirements of the brand for fabric feel, appearance, and durability. Finally, the display at New York Fashion Week and the subsequent RECOM Collective 2026 Final Show in Bangkok demonstrate that circular fashion is forming a complete chain from design competitions, product development to market promotion. The successful application of recycled polyester fibers in clothing and accessories also provides a reference material strategy for other fiber and fabric fields such as non-woven fabrics and functional fibers.

Information source:Taking Thai circular fashion to New York， Organized by Herun Chemical.