Performance Fabrics Aren’t Built for Circularity

The textile industry is pushing sustainability, but performance apparel still depends on blended synthetics that are nearly impossible to recycle at scale.

In this episode, Tim Sheils explains why spandex is one of the biggest bottlenecks in circularity, how global sourcing has reshaped textile economics, and why sales pipelines in B2B fabric development can take 18 months to convert. It’s a grounded look at what actually constrains sustainability inside performance manufacturing.