This week, Cyclingnews published an in-depth feature by Emma Cole on the future of cycling apparel: why the industry struggles to make kit more responsible, and which brands are trying to do things differently. VELOR is part of it. The article is for Cyclingnews members only, so here is what it covers.
~5 min read · Jump to: The starting point · RELOV · Making less · Why so few brands · Transparency · Our take · Shop
The starting point: too much textile, too little loop
The figures are hard to ignore. According to the European Environment Agency, every European throws away around 16 kg of textiles a year, and almost three quarters of it is burned or landfilled. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that only 1% of clothing is circular. Cycling apparel is a small part of the picture, but with its constant flow of new collections and colourways, it is part of it.
RELOV: five years to close the loop
The article presents RELOV as the first circular cycling jersey made from textile waste. Getting there took five years, because there was no existing chain to plug into: Florian and Mickael Jardin had to build every step themselves, with low volumes and non-standard fabrics.
Today, jerseys are collected in France and the Netherlands, turned into new fabric and garments across France, Germany, Spain and Portugal, then go back to collection at the end of their life. The scale has grown step by step: one lab-tested jersey, then 300 jerseys recycled two years ago, and now around one tonne of textile.
85%
textile waste in every jersey
0.9 kg
CO₂e per jersey, measured with Maastricht University
3 to 4 kg
for an equivalent jersey made in China, according to Florian
The full story of how the loop works is in RELOV: the eco-responsible jersey built on real green innovation.
RELOV: the jersey made from old jerseys. €139, made in Europe.
Shop the RELOV jerseyMaking better, or making less?
The article also raises a question that goes beyond materials. Bristol brand Kostüme only produces on pre-order, and its founder argues that the real problem is overproduction: by his estimates, a large share of products in the industry never sell at all. Assos has also tested pre-order with a limited jersey project. Recycled fabrics alone don't answer that question, and we think it deserves to be asked.
Why so few brands go circular
When VELOR started, Florian reached out to the big brands to partner on circularity. None of them took it up. Cost is a big part of the answer: according to Florian, circular fabric costs around eleven times more than fabric sourced in China, and making garments in Portugal five to six times more. An Oxford researcher quoted in the piece suggests taxing virgin raw materials to make recycled alternatives competitive.
There are technical limits too. Rapha explains that elastane blends, bonded seams, silicone grippers and chamois pads are very hard to recycle back into fibre, so for now Rapha and Pas Normal Studios focus on durability, repairs and keeping kit in use for longer. Assos points out that single-material garments are not a magic fix for performance kit either.
Transparency, soon a rule
The EU Digital Product Passport, expected by the end of 2029, will require textiles sold in Europe to share data on materials, chemicals, origin and recyclability. Certifications help, but even Rapha's ESG manager describes them as a starting point rather than proof. Florian puts it simply:
“What we need is more transparency. A name and a company for every step of the process.”
Our take
We're still a small brand, and we haven't solved everything. Recycling cycling kit is a real technical challenge, and making better doesn't replace making less. But RELOV shows that a circular jersey can exist, perform, and come back into the loop. Thanks to Cyclingnews for opening the debate.
Go further
Want to dig deeper? Read the story behind RELOV, the jersey made from old jerseys, and what GRS recycled polyester actually is.
Shop the RELOV jersey
For men and women, in Forest and Dunes. €139 · zero virgin polyester · made in Europe.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Emma Cole, October 2026 · European Environment Agency · Ellen MacArthur Foundation · VELOR life cycle assessment with Maastricht University.
