Armedangels takes recycled fibre SaXcell from pilot project to denim programme
Cologne-based fashion label Armedangels is expanding its partnership with Dutch fibre manufacturer SaXcell. Following the sold-out launch of what the two companies describe as the world's first commercial SaXcell collection for spring/summer 2025, Armedangels is introducing the recycled cellulose fibre into a broader denim programme for womenswear and menswear for fall/winter 2026. This marks a move from the pilot phase to commercial scaling.
According to industry data, recycled fibres accounted for 7.6 percent of global fibre production in 2024. The majority of this was recycled polyester from PET bottles. True textile-to-textile recycling from pre- and post-consumer waste remained at less than one percent, representing one of the fashion industry's biggest unresolved gaps.
According to the manufacturer, SaXcell-Lyocell combines 30 percent recycled cotton waste with 70 percent FSC-certified wood pulp, processing them into a virgin-quality fabric using a closed-loop Lyocell process. SaXcell states that replacing part of the wood pulp with recycled cotton reduces the need for new wood pulp compared to conventional Lyocell. No additional cultivation areas or pesticides are required for the recycled component. The fibre is certified and traceable throughout the entire supply chain.
“Fashion doesn't have a recycling problem because the technology is lacking. Many solutions are already available. The real challenge is to turn successful pilot projects into a long-term commercial reality,” says Julia Kirschner, impact and innovation director at Armedangels.
For AW26, Armedangels is using the fibre in several denim styles for womenswear and menswear, in a material blend of 57 percent organic cotton and 43 percent SaXcell-Lyocell. This makes SaXcell a permanent part of the brand's Detox Denim programme.
Bringing a new material to market is the easier part, says SaXcell CEO Pramod Agrawal. Long-term impact only comes through scaling, which is where most material innovations in the fashion industry fail. “Our collaboration with Armedangels shows how innovation and strong partnerships can accelerate the transition to truly circular textiles,” says Agrawal. In addition to the fibre, SaXcell also provides brands with quality and life cycle analysis data, RCS certification and data for the digital product passport, according to the company.
Armedangels was the first brand to introduce SaXcell in a commercial collection in spring 2025. Following a positive consumer response, the brand expanded its production capacity with SaXcell last year and integrated the fibre into a broader denim range rather than treating it as a one-off innovation story.
According to the companies, they are also exploring how post-consumer cotton waste from Armedangels' own products could be returned directly to the cycle in the future. This marks a potential further step towards true textile-to-textile circularity.