Recycling has always been a challenge for the textile industry. Growing industry-wide demand and stricter rules underscore the need for a breakthrough. Thankfully, advances in textile recycling technologies are already changing current practices. Given how resource-intensive textile treatment is, the industry is in dire need of a breakthrough. For example, the operations of dyeing, scouring and washing used fibre require up to 200 litres of water per kilogram of fibre. Producing new material from recycled fibres, requires a great deal of extra work and, more crucially, financial resources than recycling. This business still needs to close the loop even if cutting-edge waste reduction techniques like building efficient supply chain tracking via blockchain and managing demand forecasting using artificial intelligence show great potential.
Challenges in textile recycling
The textile sector is now dealing with three major challenges. The first is the excess of blended garments; cotton/polyester blended fibres cannot be separated mechanically for recycling. Even recycling organic, semi-synthetic and synthetic materials in combination is not possible.
The requirement for standardisation of recycling processes poses the second major obstacle. Even while there are various possible remedies, like chemical recycling or mechanical recycling, no single one is widely available or reasonably priced enough for everyone to use. As a result, just 1 per cent of textile fabric is recycled to make new apparel.
The third major issue is the breakdown of fibres. The fibres can become weak from being repeatedly stripped down, cleaned and reassembled. The material will eventually be unable to make it through the system unharmed. No matter how effective the recycling method, everything must come to an end and the textile sector must find
a workable substitute for landfills
and incinerators.
The abrupt and startling increase in textile consumption cannot be made up for by increasing the second-hand economy or improving waste reduction. Additionally, the industry needs to find a solution for the numerous gaps that currently exist, such as the fact that manufacturers have unused fabric scraps and resale stores have products they cannot resell.
Promising solutions for textile waste management
Textile recycling can be done through identifying, separating and recycling, the last of which can be done in a variety of ways such as chemical, mechanical and bioengineering recycling.
Usually, the identifying and sorting processes are closely related since the techniques used to identify the various types of fibres, also separates them via sorting machines or chemical techniques.
Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy (provided by companies like Fibersort and Tomra) is one of such solutions for sorting, which, when employed in textile sorting machines, quickly and accurately identifies and separates cotton and synthetic fibres. By measuring light scattered off through a sample, NIR spectroscopy can be used to quickly determine a material’s properties without altering the sample.
Integrating various technological solutions has become paramount in addressing the challenges of recycling cotton and synthetic blends in the textile industry. Another innovative approach is Air Classification (provided by companies like Allgaier), a technology that utilises aerodynamic properties to efficiently separate these blends. By fine-tuning airflow and sorting parameters, Air Classification systems have proven effective in segregating cotton and synthetic fibres, particularly based on density and size.
Taking automation to the next level, AI-powered robots (provided by companies like AMP Robotics) equipped with advanced sensors and machine learning algorithms are emerging as key players in the textile sorting and recycling process. These sophisticated robots have the capability to recognise and differentiate between various types of fibres, fabrics, colours and patterns, addressing the shortcomings of manual sorting in terms of both speed and accuracy. As a result, the integration of these robotic systems adds a layer of efficiency to the recycling process, reducing reliance on labour-intensive methods. Interestingly, AI-powered garbage sorting systems can easily interface with the current supply chain. Better waste management techniques are made possible throughout the whole production cycle, thanks to the real-time tracking and monitoring of waste generation made possible by this.
| The Indian textile recycling market size reached US $ 318.8 million in 2023. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach US $ 418.2 million by 2032, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 3 per cent during 2024-2032. |
Complementing this, chemical recycling (provided by companies like ReNew ELP and Andritz) processes offer a distinct advantage in breaking down textiles into their chemical components. This method not only avoids the mechanical stresses associated with traditional recycling but also facilitates the extraction of both natural and synthetic fibres. The result is the recovery of high-quality fibres that can be reused in the production of new textile products.
Polyester chemical recycling involves using different methods to break polyester textiles down to a molecular level and then re-entering that recycled output at various points of the fashion supply chain. Cellulosics chemical recycling includes the recycling of fibres like cotton, hemp, bamboo, viscose and many others. When these clothes are at the end of their use, they cannot be recycled back into their original plant form but they can be recycled via chemical processes into a new fibre nonetheless. These new fibres are called ‘man-made cellulosic fibres’ (MMCFs) because, while they are made from cellulose, their production requires a human engineering process in comparison to their cellulosic counterparts that are harvested
from nature.
Enzymes and microorganisms are used in bioengineering techniques to break down textile waste and make it possible to produce new fibres. There are various advantages of these techniques like water and energy use are decreased during the recycling process, besides enabling removal of dangerous chemical treatments that are frequently applied during textile production, thus leading to the creation of environmentally friendly, biodegradable fabrics made of bio-based materials and promoting the possibility of developing novel, distinctive materials with appealing qualities.
The last but not the least is mechanical recycling technique in which used textiles are mechanically recycled by first being broken down into fibres and then being transformed into new goods. Through the elimination of the requirement for extra raw materials, this technology considerably decreases its impact on the environment. Amongst its benefits are less energy used in production than in conventional textile methods, reduced reliance on chemicals and water, the fabric’s ability to hold onto its original characteristics and the creation of new textiles from old ones, hence promoting a circular economy.
What Indian companies are doing for textile recycling?
Due to its plentiful supply of raw materials and highly skilled labour force, India is one of the world’s major sourcing locations for textiles and clothing. When textiles and clothing are produced and consumed, the global textile industry generates a significant amount of waste. Three waste streams –pre-consumer, domestic post-consumer and imported waste – can be used to categorise this waste.
Despite being a global leader in mechanical recycling, India does not yet have a circular strategy in place for handling textile waste.
As of now, the value chain is still not very well-organised and has poor visibility, which causes waste to leak out at several different points. Process standardisation and technology advancement have received very little outside assistance. As a result, the recycled yarn generated is considered unsuitable for the worldwide supply chain due to its low quality. This is preventing the recycling business in India from growing economically and from being viable, especially in light of the fierce competition from low-cost synthetic fibres. Nevertheless, Indian brands and regions are making their mark in the textile recycling sector.
Aditya Birla Group’s Birla Cellulose has joined forces with textile innovator SaXcell to produce recycled man-made cellulosic fibre (MMCF) in an effort to accelerate circularity. SaXcell’s textile waste pulping technology combined with Birla’s advanced wet spinning expertise results in high quality sustainable SaXcell recycled fibres that serve the circular textile needs of customers on a commercial scale.
Reliance Industries Limited’s R|Elan™ fabric is another step in the sustainability direction with its GreenGold (recycled from 100 per cent post-consumer used PET bottles) and EcoGold (advanced sustainable fibres containing countless biodegradable spots in its polymer matrix, ensuring the entirety of the fibre becoming inherently biodegradable in natural environment) fibres being used to promote sustainability in the apparel industry.
| The textile sector is now dealing with three major challenges. The first is the excess of blended garments; cotton/ polyester blended fibres cannot be separated mechanically for recycling. Even recycling organic, semi-synthetic and synthetic materials in combination is not possible. The requirement for standardisation of recycling processes poses the second major obstacle. The third major issue is the breakdown of fibres. The fibres can become weak from being repeatedly stripped down, cleaned and reassembled. |
Panipat is one of the biggest hubs globally in the textile recycling industry. Textile waste arrives in Panipat from Kandla port in Gujarat where shipping containers bring in worn, discarded clothes from across the world. As the loaded trucks arrive in various workshops across Panipat, the clothes are first sorted and then sent further for recycling to different areas depending on their fibre content.
Estimates suggest that Panipat recycles over one lakh tonnes of discarded clothing every year. The process of recycling used here reduces the need for chemicals, the need for landfill space along with reduced energy consumption and wastewater.
In the last two years, the capacity of recycling yarn has almost doubled in Panipat and overall capacity has been increased four times. There are almost 30 units in the city having a good scale of operations. One of the main reasons behind the growing capacity of recycled yarn is that it is almost 50 per cent cheaper than virgin yarns. Not only are local home furnishing units consuming these recycled yarn, but they are also being exported across the globe. “Though the current demand is impacted as per the market sentiment but we are hopeful that with the improving situation, the demand will improve,” said Neeraj Kwatra, Partner, Devisha Cotspin. The company, offering a variety of recycled yarns, has a production capacity of 15-20 thousand kg per day.
Team Apparel Resources also spoke to Nitin Jindal, Managing Director, Jindal Textile Industries Pvt. Ltd., who told us that his organisation’s recycling capacity is currently 600 tonnes/month. According to him, capacities are expected to increase as companies are becoming more interested in recycled fibres and the industry as a whole is moving towards sustainability, so demand for sustainable and recycled fibres is going to increase going forward. Big brands are pushing for sustainable fibres, so the market in the future looks promising. Not only will recycled fibre’s demand grow going ahead but also will the recycling industry itself.
He added by saying that brands are moving towards recycled products in which some products are being called for 100 per cent recycled fibres whereas some are for blended fibres based on their product line philosophies.
In terms of recycling types, mechanical recycling is more prevalent in India since chemical recycling technology is less refined in India and more resources are required for this. Technology changes are being done in India but the next big thing seems to be chemical recycling. If people are willing to invest in the technology, then it should pick up in a big way.
Also, he opined that international market has a high demand for recycled fibres, but in the domestic market, there is a lesser trend of brands and organisations going for recycled fibres.
