Recycling
Textile recycling enables materials from discarded textiles to be recovered and returned to productive use, reducing the need for virgin raw materials and supporting a more circular textile system. The highest value-retention option is closed-loop recycling, where recovered fibres or polymers are used to produce new textile products. However, when technical, economic, or quality limitations prevent fibre-to-fibre recycling, materials may also be utilised in open-loop applications, such as insulation, composites, or other industrial products. Together, closed-loop and open-loop recycling pathways help divert textiles from disposal, conserve resources, and extend the value of materials within the economy.
Waste Valorization
- Colour Removal
- Separation of fibres from blends (separated fibres to be recycled via relevant methods
- Removal of coatings and disruptors (removed components - side flows) to be recycled via relevant methods
Mechanical Processing
- Cutting in to pieces
- Removal of trimmings and hard parts
- Tearing and coarse opening
- Grinding (e.g. for chemical recycling methods)
Chamical & Biochemical Recycling
A method where polymer structure is broken into its building blocks, monomers. Polymers can be then built back via re-polymerization. The formed polymeric materials are like new, virgin material and can be used to make fibres or other products.
Thermo-mechanical Recycling
A process of melting thermo-plastic synthetic fibres like PES, PA, PP and PE into polymer melt, which can be used to make new fibres or other products.
Chemical Recycling
Chemical recycling is carried out by dissolution of fibres into polymer solution (polymers are chain-like molecules forming the fibre structure). Polymer solution can be used to spin new fibres or to make other products such as films.
Fibre Mechanical Recycling
A method, where textiles are recycled on fibre level using mainly mechanical processing. First textile products are cut to pieces, which are then processed by shredding and opening steps until textile structures (fabrics and yarns) are dismantled back to separate fibres.
Note
Sideflow of mechanical recycling (short fibres) can be used as input material in other recycling methods.
End-of-Life Options
Biological Digestion: Chemicals or Nutrients
Incineration: Energy
These materials and chemicals obtained can be used by various industries like packaging, construction, building, civil engineering, agriculture, etc.