Textile Manufacturing
In a circular textile system, responsible and circular textile manufacturing focuses on minimising environmental impacts and improving resource efficiency throughout the production process. This includes selecting sustainable and secondary raw materials, reducing the use of energy, water and chemicals, preventing waste generation, and maximising the utilization of production side streams. Products are designed to be durable, safe, and recyclable, enabling materials to remain in user for longer and supporting future recycling. The overall aim is to reduce dependence on virgin resources while creating high-quality textile products with a lower environmental footprint. EU Textile Strategy and related legislation as well as standardisation and related activities affecting the operation environment are moving textile industry towards more sustainable practices.
Natural Polymers
Origin of Materials
- Conventionally sourced cellulose from forest industry
- Circular and sustainable solutions include:
- Use of agricultural side streams
- Example: straw as a cellulose feedstock
Synthetic Polymers
Origin of Raw Materials
- Conventionally obtained from petrochemical industry
- Circular solutions may include:
- Pyrolysis products
- Gasification products
- Use as polymerisation feedstocks
- Open-loop recycling approaches
Fibre Manufacturing
Main Methods
- Melt-spinning for thermoplastic polymers:
- PES
- PA
- PP
- PE
- Dry-spinning using evaporating solvents:
- PAN
- EL
- Wet-spinning and dry-jet wet-spinning for polymers regenerated in spinning baths:
- MMF
- PAN
Secondary Raw Materials Used
- r-PET from PET bottles
- Production waste from textile production of synthetic materials in melt-spinning
- Dissolved cotton and other cellulose sources
Waste Produced
- Solid waste such as:
- Non-uniform filaments
- Filament breakage waste
- Spinneret-clogged waste
- Degraded polymer waste
- Filter pack waste
Waste Prevention Measures
- Suitable material selection
- Elimination of hazardous additives
- Use of compatible polymers
- Process optimisation
- Improved quenching uniformity
- Improved real-time monitoring activities
Natural Fibres
Origin of Materials
- Cultivation of plant fibres
- Animal production:
- Wool
- Other hairs
- Sustainable options include:
- Organic production methods
- Other certified production methods
- Ethical treatment of animals
Yarn Spinning
Main Methods
- Blending of fibres and making pre-yarn
- Ring spinning (typically finer yarns)
- OE spinning (more feasible for mechanically recycled yarn)
- Air-jet spinning (for pilling resistance)
- Friction spinning (DREF 2000) for coarser / bulky yarns
Secondary Raw Materials Used
- Post-industrial waste from spinning, weaving and knitting
- Thermo-mechanically and chemically recycled materials
- Fibre mechanically recycled materials typically blended with virgin and/or recycled fibres to restore fibre quality
Waste Produced
- Waste in each yarn-spinning stage
- Comber noil
- Broken yarns
- Fly fibres
Waste Prevention Measures
- Return the longest fibre fractions to processing of lower-quality yarns and/or nonwoven applications
Fabric Production
Main Methods
- Knitting
- Weaving
- Dyeing and finishing
Secondary Raw Materials Used
- Yarns containing recycled fibres
Waste Produced
- Yarn waste
- Waste in fabric formation (selvedges and trimmings)
- Low-grade fabrics
- Waste from coloration and finishing:
- Wastewater
- Chemical sludge
- Rejected textiles due to colour or appearance mismatch
Waste Prevention Measures
- Process control and optimisation
- Recycling of post-industrial waste
Non-Woven Production
Main Methods
- Web formation via:
- Dry methods
- Wet methods
- Direct methods
- Bonding via:
- Mechanical methods
- Chemical methods
- Thermal methods
- Finishing
Secondary Raw Materials
- Mechanically recycled fibres from fibre recycling
- Mechanically recycled fibres for carding and air-laying materials
- Chemically and thermo-mechanically recycled fibres for wet and dry laying
- Recycled polymers for direct laying
Waste Produced
- Fibre waste
- Filament waste
- Polymer and resin waste
- Off-spec fabrics and products
- Edge trim and slitting waste
- Start-up and shutdown waste
- Process residues:
- Dust
- Fines
- Microfibres
- Chemical and additive waste
- Wastewater and effluent
Waste Prevention Measures
- Raw material and input optimisation
- Process optimisation and yield improvement
- Lean manufacturing practices
- Internal reuse and closed-loop production
Technical Textile Products
Production Methods
- Wide range of production methods
- Some similar to textile production methods
- Others highly specialised
Secondary Raw Materials
- Recycled fibres
- Recycled fabrics and nonwovens
- Recycled resins
Waste Produced
- Similar waste streams to nonwoven production
- Composite and multilayer scrap
- Coated and laminated material waste
Waste Prevention Measures
- Similar measures to those used in nonwoven production
- Greater focus on product design due to complexity of technical textile products
Textile Production
Main Process Steps
- Design & pattern making
- Cutting
- Assembly
Secondary Raw Materials Used
- Yarns and fabrics containing recycled fibres
- Other secondary and reusable materials
- Remanufacturing from textile products
Waste Produced
- Cutting scraps
- Selvedge waste
- End bits or lay-end waste
- Pattern mismatch (e.g. printing or striped line mismatching)
- Sewing thread trimming waste
- Bobbin leftovers / broken threads
- Lint / fibre loss during the washing process
- Rejected garments (not considered waste in all cases)
Waste Prevention Measures
- Design and optimise cutting patterns to prevent cutting waste
- Seamless clothing concepts