Nigerian circular economy leader and entrepreneur Sidikat Folami, widely known as The Textile Circularist, has been appointed a Global Brand Ambassador for the Circular Resources and Recycling Expo (CRRE) 2026, scheduled to hold from November 25–27, 2026, at the Suzhou International Expo Center in Suzhou, China.
The appointment, announced by the CRRE organisers on August 12, places Folami among the international ambassadors supporting the Expo’s global engagement and participation strategy.
Folami is the Founder and Executive Director of Mateen Lander Limited, a Nigerian circular textile enterprise focused on textile recovery, material valorisation and the development of practical systems for keeping textile resources in productive use.
With over 17 years of experience spanning garment production, textile value chains and circular systems innovation, Folami has built a distinctive practitioner-to-systems perspective on the future of fashion, textiles and resource circularity in Africa.
Her work extends beyond enterprise development. She actively coordinates and connects practitioners, businesses, innovators and other stakeholders working across textile recycling, upcycling and circular economy development, contributing to the growth of a more connected textile circularity ecosystem in Nigeria.
As CRRE Global Brand Ambassador for Nigeria, Folami will support the Expo’s engagement with Nigerian businesses, professionals and industry stakeholders, while helping to strengthen connections between Nigeria, the wider African market and the international resource recycling ecosystem.
The Circular Resources and Recycling Expo (CRRE) 2026 is jointly organised by the China National Resources Recycling Association (CRRA) and Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd. The three-day event will bring together stakeholders across resource recovery, recycling, reprocessing, high-value applications, green finance and international standards and regulations.
CRRE 2026 is expected to feature more than 200 exhibitors, over 20,000 professional visitors, and participation across multiple circular economy sectors, including plastics, metals, electronics, automotive, batteries, wind and solar equipment, textiles and consumer products.
For Folami, the appointment represents an opportunity to broaden conversations around Africa’s emerging circular economy while creating stronger pathways for Nigerian industry participation in global circular value chains.
“The future of textile circularity in Africa will require more than individual businesses. It will require stronger systems, collaboration and connections across the value chain. This opportunity provides a platform to connect Nigerian practitioners and businesses with a much wider global resource recycling ecosystem, while also bringing African perspectives into the conversation.”
The appointment comes as global attention on resource circularity continues to expand, with businesses and governments increasingly exploring new approaches to resource efficiency, recycling, supply-chain resilience and the commercial value of recovered materials.
As Global Brand Ambassador - Nigeria, Folami will be supporting awareness and participation around CRRE 2026 ahead of the November exhibition in Suzhou.
About Sidikat Folami
Sidikat Folami, The Textile Circularist, is a circular economy leader, ecosystem builder and entrepreneur working to transform Nigeria’s textile and fashion industry through systems innovation, enterprise development and cross-sector collaboration.
She is the Founder and Executive Director of Mateen Lander Limited and has over 17 years of experience across garment production, textile value chains and circular systems innovation. Her work focuses on building practical systems, partnerships and enterprises that enable textile resources to move from waste into productive and economic value.
Through her work, she brings together practitioners and stakeholders across textile recycling, upcycling, fashion, business and circular economy development, while advancing opportunities for women, young people and small enterprises within emerging circular value chains.
She is also a writer and speaker whose work explores the intersection of circular economy, innovation, policy, enterprise and the future of textiles and fashion in Africa.
