John Lewis says the circular designed collection is designed to be longer lasting, and tested to the highest durability standards.

The High Street retailer adds it supports the Partnership’s commitment that 100% of new own-brand products will be designed with circularity in mind by 2028.

The collection includes nightwear and men’s cashmere as well as babywear and products in the range have an increased amount of recycled content and are even better quality, ensuring customers are buying products which are excellent value for money and designed for longevity. The design also factors in how clothing items can be more easily recycled when customers are finished with them.

Products in the collection also come with a QR code on their care labels, providing information about their sustainable design according to circular design principles.
John Lewis Commercial Director, Kathleen Mitchell, said: “We are constantly looking at changes we can make in our bid to combine style and sustainability for our customers. We know they want products that look good and that last, and that’s exactly what these designs offer.

“We’re continuing to learn about how to design more efficiently and to create products that our customers can trust to be good for both their pockets and the planet. It’s been incredibly insightful seeing the circular framework and strategy put to practice.”

The group says in collaboration with circular economy experts at the University of Exeter, it has developed its own comprehensive framework and strategy, created in line with WRAP’s circular design toolkits.

This framework is built on three core principles:

• Material Choices: Products are made from more sustainable or recycled materials.
• Durability: Products are made to last longer and be more durable.
• Cyclability: Products are designed to be easier to recycle (including mono-materiality).

Professor Fiona Charnley, co-director of the Exeter Centre for the Circular Economy and UKRI Circular Economy Hub at the University of Exeter Business School said: "We are pleased to have worked with John Lewis on the development of the Circular Design Framework and Strategy. The framework integrates multiple factors of circularity including material selection, extended product use, durability and cyclability, enabling the design team to adopt a truly whole system approach.

“The launch of John Lewis’ new collection is a fantastic example of how the framework can be applied across a diverse range of products with differing requirements and lifetimes. This is a pioneering step forward in John Lewis' transition towards a Circular Economy and we look forward to seeing the wider impact of the strategy across the business and their customers"

Sophie Scanlon, Textiles Specialist at WRAP, said: “We are delighted to see our Circular Design Toolkit principles in action within this new collection from John Lewis. Up to 80% of clothing’s impacts are determined at the design phase, so it's great to see John Lewis taking the practical steps to embed this within their collections to make a difference.

“Designing for circularity is a key pillar of WRAP’s Textiles 2030 programme and this toolkit utilises industry-wide expertise to help brands implement circular design holistically, with every stage of a product’s life cycle considered which, in turn, can reduce an item’s environmental impact.”

Marija Rompani, director of ethics and sustainability at John Lewis Partnership said: "We are thrilled to launch our new collection across home and fashion, a testament to our commitment to circular design.

“Each product has been thoughtfully designed to minimise waste and maximise longevity, helping to give customers more choice for responsible products.

"I'm personally very excited by the new nightwear products in the collection which are not only designed to be more easily recycled at their end of life, but look and feel amazing too.”

The collection builds on recent ambitions introduced by John Lewis to offer more ethical and sustainable products across fashion and home.