Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SCIRT (System Circularity and Innovative Recycling of Textiles)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-06-01 do 2022-11-30
• the maximum recycled content achieved today, while respecting the quality requirements and specifications as defined, is 80% for mechanically recycled cotton;
• knittability of the finest yarn (Nm60) is possible up to 40% recyclable content;
• an accurate detection method for elastane in textiles was developed. First tests on removing elastane while keeping polyester and polyamide intact seems promising;
• enzymatic hydrolysis can successfully recover polyamide or polyester from blends with wool or viscose, while the enzymes can be successfully reused for at least five cycles. The upcycling of the recovered monomers (glucose, amino acids) into other valuable compounds that might be re-integrated into textile industry is ongoing;
• trials using post-consumer multi-component textiles show additional challenges for quality of fibres. For example, in the case of wool-polyester recycling the increased contaminations cause technical difficulties in the machinery.
In parallel, a new Fibersort™ with automatic feeding system with robot picker was developed, to identify and separate textiles based on fibre and colour-composition. The automatic feeding system lowers the operational costs as it can run multiple shifts without adding extra labour costs, contributing to an economically feasible recycling system.
• New automatic sorting & dismantling of post-consumer textiles that meet the required specifications for textile-to-textile recycling and lower sorting cost to increase economic viability;
• New and improved recycling technologies for post-consumer textile waste that are cost-effective, with a focus on multi-fibre materials;
• Demand-driven approach to align the sorting and recycling processes to meet garment manufacturer’s design aims. Focus on market-pull of recycled materials versus push which is the today's way of working;
• New way to quantify and visualize environmental and social impacts of textile products;
• New advanced product identification and information flows throughout the value chain;
• Go beyond raising consumer awareness and look at underlying behavioural triggers that drive consumer behaviour and link this with material flows.
• Advanced concept of EPR system that meets local needs and incentivizes circular design through eco-modulation.
SCIRT aims to deliver a number of impacts to the textiles sector, its value chains and stakeholders. Environmental impacts:
• decreased waste generation and demand for primary material inputs through closed-loop recycling solutions for discarded post-consumer textiles;
• allowing for environmental externalities of textiles to be reflected in product pricing to stimulate conscious design, production and consumption;
• overall acceleration to a sustainable, circular textiles system.
Economic impacts:
• creating new business opportunities by increased sorting, dismantling and recycling of textiles;
• increased activity in the European value chain, by creating a more local system for textile-to-textile recycling and primary material cultivation leading to job opportunities;
• increased competitiveness and resilience of European apparel brands and manufacturers through circularity as a differentiating strategy.
And finally, social impacts:
• increased public awareness and behavioural change on environmental and social impacts of textile consumption;
• promotion of sustainable textile purchasing and proper disposal of garments at end-of-life;
• allowing for social externalities of textiles to be reflected in product pricing, stimulating conscious design, production and consumption practices.
The impacts will be delivered to multiple stakeholder groups within the European textiles industry and beyond.