Retail technology innovation of the week: Circ and Lenzing deliver recycling solution to H&M store shelves
Retail Technology Innovation of the Week is a series brought to you by RTIH, highlighting stand out deployments, launches, and initiatives by retailers and tech suppliers. Every week, we showcase forward thinking tech plays that have impressed our Editor and the Retail Technology Innovations Report judging panel, building up to the publication of the 2026 report later this year.
And this week we’re focusing on Circ which has announced that the first men's denim collection featuring TENCEL | Circ with REFIBRA technology is now available at H&M, marking the commercial delivery of a pilot project first announced in October 2025.
Featuring two styles available across the UK, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, South Europe, Turkey, North America, Mexico, Canada, and the Middle East, the launch brings the technology into H&M's standard men's denim assortment for the first time.
The collection involves a fully integrated supply chain approach from textile waste to pulp to shelf, bringing together Circ’s textile-to-textile recycling technology, Lenzing’s fiber production expertise, AGI Denim’s manufacturing capabilities, and H&M’s global retail platform. Each garment contains TENCEL Limited Edition Lyocell fibers produced with 30% Circ pulp recycled from textile waste.
"This launch is proof that recycled textile fiber is ready for mass market supply chains," says Peter Majeranowski, CEO at Circ. "Seeing TENCEL | Circ with REFIBRA technology in H&M's standard men's denim assortment is a milestone the industry has been working toward. It validates that next-generation recycled materials can move through existing supply chains at the quality that global retail demands."
“This collaboration highlights that by bringing together players of all steps across the textile supply chain will result in circular garments available to consumers. We are proud to work with pioneers like Circ to showcase innovation on a pilot production level, making fibers available for commercial garments. We continue to keep our commitment to exploring collaborations with innovators, bringing new TENCEL fibers on the market via pilot scale productions.” says Caroline Ledl, Senior Director Product Operations at Lenzing Group.
"Getting here required solving for quality, supply, and commercial viability simultaneously," says Peter Majeranowski, CEO at Circ. "Every step in this chain, from Circ pulp to Lenzing fiber to AGI Denim manufacturing to H&M shelf, had to work. This launch shows it can."
The products are available now on HM.com and in select H&M stores across launch markets.
And honourable mentions this week go to...
Schnuck Markets
VitalityIP and Schnuck Markets are teaming up to launch an AI powered, agentic shopping assistant that will deliver nutrition guidance, meal ideas and product recommendations.
“Our customers are telling us they want trusted guidance with a number of aspects on their visits to Schnucks, whether they’re meal planning, tracking health goals, balancing special dietary needs, stretching their budget, or looking for inspiration in the kitchen,” says
Tom Henry, Schnucks Chief Data and Information Officer. “Together with VitalityIP, we're creating a shopping experience that's not only enjoyable but also more personal, more helpful and more rewarding.”
Arriving in the grocer’s Schnucks Rewards app and website at schnucks.comin late summer, the agent will tap into more than six billion lines of shopping, health and nutrition data. The platform will help customers make everyday food choices that support health and lifestyle initiatives such as weight management, healthy aging, recovery and family wellness.
“Today, nearly 90% of Americans suffer from a food related condition that VitalityIP and retail grocers can impact,” says Sarah Hoit, Co-Founder and CEO at VitalityIP. “Food is medicine, but until now, personalised nutrition options haven’t been available where people make food decisions every day. Schnucks recognised an opportunity to transform grocery shopping into a powerful experience that can actually help customers optimise their lives. Together we've made the latest food and nutrition science practical, personal and accessible for every shopper."
Auchan Retail
Working with shopreme, Auchan Retail has launched AutoScan, a new service available in its Club Alcampo app that allows people to scan products with their mobile phone whilst moving around a store and then speeds up the checkout experience.
The service has begun to be implemented in around 40 stores in the Community of Madrid, Catalonia and Castilla-La Mancha, and will be extended to the entire network before the end of 2026.
To start, shoppers access AutoScan from the app when they arrive at the store and activate it using the available signage or geolocation. Then, it's time to scan each product before putting it in the basket or cart. At the end, they click on the payment option to generate a QR code and transfer the purchase to the checkouts enabled for this service. Team members are on hand to help if any issues arise.
