Chemical recycling techniques can separate blended fabrics such as cotton/polyester into separate materials, thus overcoming a major challenge of recycling textile waste.
Although the ultimate goal is to increase clothing utilization by renting, repurposing and reselling apparel, too many un-usable clothes still end up in landfills. For circular fashion, we must find a way to use discarded textiles after their useful lives are over. My first blog article addressed the need to use textile waste as a source to create new textile fibers. Recently, the Textile Exchange established a new initiative to eliminate textile waste via recycling, which demonstrates that the industry is beginning to address the issue.
Textiles can be recycled using both mechanical and chemical means. Mechanical recycling recycles waste into a secondary material without changing its basic structure. It is suitable for cotton, polyester and other single component waste streams.
Chemical recycling uses a series of chemical processes to separate and recycle non-homogenous waste streams.
Chemical recycling can be used to separate blended fabrics into valuable single waste streams. Lots of apparel is made from blended fabrics and therefore finding a recycling solution is paramount if the goal is to reduce apparel in landfills.
Today, chemical recycling of textiles is still in its infancy. The techniques are costly and often energy intensive; however, several innovative companies are making great strides.
Who is chemically recycling textiles?
There are many companies making progress towards the quest of preventing textiles going to landfills and this is by no means an exhaustive list!
Some technologies are able to separate fabric blends whereas others address single component textiles such as cotton.
Some are still in R&D, whereas others are heading towards commercialization. All of these companies are secretive about their intellectual property, but it is true that all are using textile waste to create something new.
Tyton Biosciences
Tyton Biosciences, an American company, uses water as a solvent to create cellulosic pulp and polyester monomers from cotton polyester blended fabrics. The monomers can be used to make polyester or other materials.
Worn Again Technologies
Worn Again takes non-reusable textiles and then separates, decontaminates and extracts polyester polymers, and cellulose from cotton. New textile raw materials, such as polyester and cellulosic pulp, which can be used to make rayon, are formed as part of a continual cycle.
Their technology is able to remove dye as part of the process, thus decontaminating the resulting material. Worn Again has many investment partners, and has just built a large R&D facility in Northern England.
Ambercycle
Ambercycle has a technology that turns “end-of-life” textiles into new yarns that can be used again. Their process produces PET polymers from blended textile waste that can be spun into polyester yarn.
Evrnu
Evrnu has developed a new yarn called NuCycl from textile waste. Discarded textiles are gathered, sorted, shredded and purified down to the molecular level. A new fiber, similar to rayon is made from the resulting raw material.
Evrnu is currently collaborating with Stella McCartney and adidas and well on their way to commercialization.
BlockTexx
BlockTexx, an Australian company, has also developed proprietary technology that separates polyester and cotton textiles back into their high value raw materials of PET and Cellulose for reuse as new products for all industries.
Ioncell
Ioncell® is a technology that turns used textiles into new textile fibers. Fabrics can be made by using the Ioncell process to convert cellulose into fibers. The technology, from Finland, is currently in pilot mode and commercial production is due to begin in 2025
Infinited Fiber
Infinited Fiber takes cotton-rich textile, cardboard and agricultural waste and uses a 3-step process to turn it into a new fiber. The fiber is separated, the resulting material is turned into a liquid and finally, the liquid is turned into a fiber that resembles viscose rayon. Also, from Finland, Infinited Fiber is in pilot mode.
Re:Nucell
Re:Nucell is a technology that takes cellulosic garment waste that includes cotton and viscose rayon, sorts it and then creates a biodegradable cellulose pulp, called Re:Nucell that can then be used to make viscose rayon.
Do you need help with your circular strategy?
For help with sustainability, circularity and chemicals, contact Amanda Cattermole at (415) 412 8406 or Amanda@cattermoleconsulting.com. We can help you develop powerful solutions to protect your company and brand reputation.
Tips and Insights contains information to help you make informed sustainability decisions. Each post highlights a particular topic and includes questions you may want to consider for your business.