Carbios validates recycling of complex feedstocks
French recycling company Carbios has been working with Patagonia, Puma and Salomon to validate each step of its textile-to-textile enzyme-based technology.
The partners have recently finalised a test on complex plastic and textile waste in a mixture of pre- and post-consumer textile waste in various fibres blends, including elastane, and mixed plastics. Carbios’ technology broke those down to monomers that “meet stringent quality and performance standards,” the company said. The monomers were repolymerised by Selenis, in Portugal, which was able to produce 1 tonne of rPET that is being branded EnzyTex.
Antex, of Spain, spun the rPET into yarns which were knitted, dyed and made into garments in France by Henitex, a knitter, TAD, a dyer, and TopTexCube, a garment-making atelier owned by Chamatex. Each step was carried out in fully industrial conditions, Carbios said.
Keep an eye out for the next issue of Sportstextiles that features an article on Reo-Eco, which has also developed enzyme-based recycling technology for textile waste.
