Periodic Reporting for period 1 - T-REX (Textile Recycling EXcellence)
Reporting period: 2022-06-01 to 2024-05-31
Summary: Less than 1 % of materials used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing. From January 2025, a directive requires 27 Member States to implement a separate household textile waste collection scheme and comply with rising minimum recycling objectives. Legislation is not enough to deal with the issue. Creating a circular system for post-consumer textile waste faces many challenges, including a lack of EU-wide standards for collecting and sorting textile waste across countries, inaccurate composition claims, variable material quality and a lack of reliable data across value chain stakeholders. The EU-funded T-REX project aims to demonstrate how household textile waste can become a new feedstock and business model for the textile industry by engaging key actors across the entire value chain.
Objective: The global consumption of textiles is increasing, with global production of the two most relevant fibres, cotton and polyester, expected to grow by 40% before 2023. There is also no EU-wide plan on how to deal with the existing and anticipated textile waste: currently less than 1% of the material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing in a closed-loop process while 87% is landfilled or incinerated. By January 2025 new EU Directive 2018/851 will require all member states to establish a separate household textile waste collection and respect increasing minimum recycling goals, but the pure legislative approach cannot alone solve the growing textile waste problem. Based on estimates from experts, we see that 1% of textile waste entering closed loops leads to 100B euros market loss each year. If a 30% recycling rate is reached (similar to average plastic packaging recycling rates), we will be able to valorize a 30 billion euros/year market.
The ambition of T-REX is to contribute to a paradigm shift from household textile waste into desired feedstock. Moreover, we aim to demonstrate that this new commodity and the business models based on it can be completely implemented within the EU. By involving major players across the whole value chain, we aim to demonstrate that a new ecosystem approach, with harmonized methods and quality criteria, can lead to a better understanding of our current textile waste and therefore better upcycling rates into new garments. We also intend to demonstrate that such products can appeal to consumers while at the same time be designed for further recycling. Our goal is to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% across the complete value chain by 2030 by helping to end plastic waste.
This project will arm the EU with a commercially viable option to tackle the textile waste and the environmental problems it causes, whilst offering new fields to explore for EU businesses, new know-how for our citizens and, new workforces for the future.
Objective: The global consumption of textiles is increasing, with global production of the two most relevant fibres, cotton and polyester, expected to grow by 40% before 2023. There is also no EU-wide plan on how to deal with the existing and anticipated textile waste: currently less than 1% of the material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing in a closed-loop process while 87% is landfilled or incinerated. By January 2025 new EU Directive 2018/851 will require all member states to establish a separate household textile waste collection and respect increasing minimum recycling goals, but the pure legislative approach cannot alone solve the growing textile waste problem. Based on estimates from experts, we see that 1% of textile waste entering closed loops leads to 100B euros market loss each year. If a 30% recycling rate is reached (similar to average plastic packaging recycling rates), we will be able to valorize a 30 billion euros/year market.
The ambition of T-REX is to contribute to a paradigm shift from household textile waste into desired feedstock. Moreover, we aim to demonstrate that this new commodity and the business models based on it can be completely implemented within the EU. By involving major players across the whole value chain, we aim to demonstrate that a new ecosystem approach, with harmonized methods and quality criteria, can lead to a better understanding of our current textile waste and therefore better upcycling rates into new garments. We also intend to demonstrate that such products can appeal to consumers while at the same time be designed for further recycling. Our goal is to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% across the complete value chain by 2030 by helping to end plastic waste.
This project will arm the EU with a commercially viable option to tackle the textile waste and the environmental problems it causes, whilst offering new fields to explore for EU businesses, new know-how for our citizens and, new workforces for the future.
First Reporting Period Summary
Collectors and sorters were successfully scouted and validated. Veolia arranged the first collection of post-consumer feedstock for recycling partners.
An unforeseen pre-processing step was needed to compact synthetic material streams for recycling, but impurities (mainly cotton) caused thermal degradation. 100% accurate sorting is impossible, so recyclers must manage remaining impurities. CuRe and IFC faced disruptions due to these impurities. Veolia's second collection, using only white feedstock, was successfully recycled by IFC. A future bleaching trial aims to recycle colored mixed waste.
CuRe conducted in-house trials to compact pre-processed material, but cotton and elastane impurities hindered recycling, prompting a search for a new partner for impurity removal.
BASF faced issues with cotton impurities and metal parts in PA6 feedstock. Due to PA6 and PA66 rarity, BASF supplemented with its own stocks and successfully depolymerized and purified the feedstock despite some yield reduction due to impurities.
Adidas hosted a workshop to discuss improving the second collection, focusing on automated sorting, de-trimming, and impurity removal. Development and testing of demonstrator products have also been prepared, with more details to be reported later.
Collectors and sorters were successfully scouted and validated. Veolia arranged the first collection of post-consumer feedstock for recycling partners.
An unforeseen pre-processing step was needed to compact synthetic material streams for recycling, but impurities (mainly cotton) caused thermal degradation. 100% accurate sorting is impossible, so recyclers must manage remaining impurities. CuRe and IFC faced disruptions due to these impurities. Veolia's second collection, using only white feedstock, was successfully recycled by IFC. A future bleaching trial aims to recycle colored mixed waste.
CuRe conducted in-house trials to compact pre-processed material, but cotton and elastane impurities hindered recycling, prompting a search for a new partner for impurity removal.
BASF faced issues with cotton impurities and metal parts in PA6 feedstock. Due to PA6 and PA66 rarity, BASF supplemented with its own stocks and successfully depolymerized and purified the feedstock despite some yield reduction due to impurities.
Adidas hosted a workshop to discuss improving the second collection, focusing on automated sorting, de-trimming, and impurity removal. Development and testing of demonstrator products have also been prepared, with more details to be reported later.
During the initial reporting period, the project has not yet produced final results that surpass the current state of the art. However, significant insights have been gained regarding the chemical recycling process. Notably, the importance of pre-processing postconsumer feedstock has proven to be far greater than initially anticipated. Effective pre-processing is crucial as it significantly influences material loss and highlights the impact of impurities within the feedstock. Excessive impurities can hinder the machinery's ability to process the feedstock, making it essential to partner with pre-processing facilities that possess the appropriate capabilities for each specific material stream.
Additionally, the project is delving into a techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment, which are expected to contribute substantially to the project's advancements beyond the state of the art. These analyses are comprehensive and will only be fully completed by the end of the project.
Moreover, the project is committed to continuously exploring alternatives and new technologies within the industry landscape. By staying attuned to developments outside the collaboration of the project partners, we aim to incorporate all relevant changes and advancements. This proactive approach will enable us to deliver more insightful and impactful policy recommendations upon the project's conclusion.
Additionally, the project is delving into a techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment, which are expected to contribute substantially to the project's advancements beyond the state of the art. These analyses are comprehensive and will only be fully completed by the end of the project.
Moreover, the project is committed to continuously exploring alternatives and new technologies within the industry landscape. By staying attuned to developments outside the collaboration of the project partners, we aim to incorporate all relevant changes and advancements. This proactive approach will enable us to deliver more insightful and impactful policy recommendations upon the project's conclusion.