Project aims to address polyester textile waste challenge
Amsterdam sustainable clothing initiative Fashion For Good has launched a project aimed at scaling up technology ideas for the chemical recycling of polyester.
“Polyester claims 52% of the global fibre market,” Fashion For Good said. “As the most common fibre in the world, it also represents a significant portion of the 73% of textiles that are landfilled or incinerated annually. A synthetic fibre derived from petroleum, polyester does not naturally break down in the environment, and the production of virgin fibres also perpetuates our reliance on fossil fuels.”
It described chemical recycling as a key solution to “the polyester textile waste challenge”.
A consortium of stakeholders, including brands, innovators, supply chain partners and funding organisations, is involved in the new project, which is called The Full Circle Textiles Project – Polyester.
Funders include the Laudes Foundation. Adidas is among the brand partners and affiliate partners include Arvind Limited, W. L. Gore and Teijin.
Fashion For Good warned that textile-to-textile chemical recycling faces “significant barriers to scale”, including a lack of financing for new technologies, limited brand uptake, and an expensive output that has to compete with cheaper, virgin options.
Image: Presstigieux
