The Faces Behind the BESTSELLER – Switch to Upstream Circularity Pilot (Part 2)
Circular economy practices have gained global attention as industries seek to balance economic growth with sustainability. Leading this global shift is the SWITCH to Circular Economy Value Chains (SWITCH2CE) programme, an ambitious initiative led by UNIDO, and funded by the European Union and Government of Finland, to help industries adopt more sustainable approaches. By promoting low-carbon development, pollution reduction, and green job creation, SWITCH2CE sets a benchmark for how global value chains can transition to circular systems.
In Bangladesh, the Textile & Garments sector plays a critical role in this programme. Here, circularity is not only an environmental imperative but also an economic opportunity for businesses and communities. A key component of SWITCH2CE in Bangladesh is the BESTSELLER – Switch to Upstream Circularity Pilot, supported by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), BGMEA, and Reverse Resources. This pilot focuses on scaling up traceable textile recycling with local suppliers, capturing and valorising large volumes of post-industrial textile waste. In doing so, it is not only reducing environmental impact but also paving the way for new and economically viable business models within the textile sector. This contributes to the overall targets of the SWITCH2CE project by reducing the carbon footprint of supply chains, supporting green jobs creation, and driving inclusive industrial transformation.
With a background in materials and innovation, Alexander Granberg plays a key role in driving BESTSELLER’s circularity agenda. At the heart of his work is the ambition to scale textile-to-textile recycling technologies and integrate materials with a circular prospect into the company’s global supply chain. In the context of the BESTSELLER – Switch to Upstream Circularity Pilot, Alexander has been instrumental in aligning both internal teams and external partners on the value of post-industrial waste, focusing on improving segregation, sorting, and traceability.
BESTSELLER’s motivation for joining the pilot was clear: “We joined to accelerate our transition from linear to circular systems,” Alexander explains. “Since Bangladesh is one of our key sourcing regions, particularly for cotton products, we recognised a significant opportunity to value post-industrial waste.”
The company’s objectives? Establish traceable material flows, identify scalable recycling solutions, and ultimately embed them into their global sourcing and production systems.
For BESTSELLER, the business opportunities in textile-to-textile recycling go beyond environmental impact: “It reduces our dependency on virgin materials, mitigates risks from raw material scarcity, and helps us meet evolving consumer and regulatory expectations,” says Alexander.
Still, commercial viability remains a challenge. “Consistent feedstock quality, limited recycling infrastructure, and cost competitiveness of recycled fibres are major hurdles. There’s also a strong need for harmonised data and certification systems to ensure transparency and trust.”
A standout feature of the pilot has been the emphasis on local partnerships. “Collaborating with suppliers, waste handlers, and recyclers has been crucial,” Alexander notes. “These partnerships have allowed us to map waste flows more accurately, trial recycled fibres in production, and build a shared understanding of circularity challenges and opportunities.”
He adds that supplier engagement has increased notably and several are now actively segregating waste and building viable collection systems.
So far, BESTSELLER has traced several tonnes of post-industrial waste and converted them into recycled fibres already used in production. But Alexander sees even greater potential for scale: “We need national waste management policies, stronger local incentives, and deeper collaboration with the waste management sector to truly scale impact.”
Looking ahead, BESTSELLER aims to build on the pilot’s momentum. “We’re focusing on scaling successful pilot learnings into commercial collections, expanding waste collection infrastructure with suppliers, and continuing to work on increasing transparency of textile waste,” says Alexander. “This will help us in the future to promote more recycled materials in our products.”
Advice to the Industry
When asked what advice he would offer other brands considering circular strategies, Alexander keeps it simple but powerful: “Start with deep collaboration — engage your suppliers early, share goals transparently, and co-develop solutions. Circularity requires a collective shift, not just isolated brand action.”
Presented by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), the non-profit accelerating the transition to a net positive fashion industry, the forum was held at the iconic Copenhagen Concert Hall, with side events hosted at prestigious cultural venues around the city
The free interactive toolkit can help textile companies understand their environmental footprint across operations and supply chains, enhance transparency across the textile value chain to help advance sustainability efforts, and drive impact.
Presented by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), the non-profit accelerating the transition to a net positive fashion industry, the forum was held at the iconic Copenhagen Concert Hall, with side events hosted at prestigious cultural venues around the city
