Textile recycling

Textile Recycling (Cellulosic and PET) requires a combination of different recycling technologies

The recycling rates will increase in the coming years in the EU which are mainly derived by the targets, set for waste management. According to the EU waste policy, one of the main ways to reduce the consumption of the primary resources is to replace them with secondary material made by recycled waste. The move toward a circular economy aims to eliminate the waste from being produced in the system.

Textile recycling technologies are developing rapidly

Textile waste management (especially post-consumer waste) was overlooked in the past; however, it is getting more attention in recent years. Due to the complexity and inhomogeneity of textile waste, conventional waste management techniques are not applicable. Substantial research and development projects are going on by the universities and industrial partners to find out innovative technologies, specifically on the topic of efficient and industrial reliable separation techniques for the fibre mixtures and specifically the separation of cellulosic-based from PET fibres or upcycling the post and/or pre-consumer waste textile for production of textile or non-textile products.

The challenges of scale-up from lab to pilot scales for the (sorted) textile waste recycling (upcycling) plants can be confronted in all the stages including process synthesis, design, simulation, integration and configuration, and economics. The reasons can be that the transformation from batch to semi-batch or continuous mode is not a straightforward process. In addition, the inhomogeneous nature of the feedstock leads to uncertainties in the total inflow and complications in process design and engineering.

AFRY's competence covers the entire textile value chain management and engineering

AFRY has the know-how on waste textile recycling process design for sorting and further processing. Our competence covers both chemical and mechanical recycling of cellulose-based and PET fibers.

We can offer services for all phases of the investment project from early phase advisory services to market strategies, to engineering, project implementation and continuing during operational phase & maintenance. Unique portfolio enables one-stop-shop including plant multidisciplinary engineering and construction, infrastructure, water & environment, automation, automotive, energy management, and maintenance supported by our smart services within health & safety, environmental sustainability and digitalisation.