Textination Newsline

At the world exhibition in Japan, the Thuringian research institute TITK Rudolstadt presented a polo shirt made from triple-recycled cellulose fiber. The fiber used is also TITK's innovation Lyohemp® – the first Lyocell fiber made from hemp pulp.

TITK's managing director, Benjamin Redlingshöfer, wore the polo shirt at the Expo in Osaka on June 17. During the Thuringia Country Days, he was interviewed on stage by presenter Marco Schreyl. Redlingshöfer proudly showed off his polo shirt with the “300% Recycling” print. This means that the shirt is made from a fiber that has undergone three consecutive recycling processes for the first time. And it did so so well that it could be easily processed into a fashionable polo shirt with excellent wearing comfort. “With our 300% recycled fiber, we are demonstrating that closed textile recycling loops are feasible thanks to our technology,” says Redlingshöfer. “This innovation proves that we can take recycling in the textile industry to a whole new level.” 

When textiles are recycled at all, it often involves what is known as downcycling. This means that the originally high-quality textile fibers are used to manufacture lower-quality textile products as part of material recycling. The fiber-to-fiber recycling pursued at TITK, however, aims to produce a recycled fiber from a high-quality textile fiber with the same high level of quality and the same good usage properties. But even in these recycling loops, only 20 to 40 percent of recycled materials are often mixed with a larger proportion of virgin grade material. 

“TITK has now impressively demonstrated that not only is 100 percent recycling of cellulose fibers possible, but that this process can even be used three times in a row without compromising the desired characteristics of the fiber, such as a pleasant, soft feel, a slight sheen, and very good, uniform dyeability,” says Redlingshöfer. 

Recycling process also applicable to cotton
The result is a fully-fledged, sustainable product that now sets the standard for future recycling processes in the clothing industry. This will enable the consumption of new virgin-grade fibers to be drastically reduced in the future. This outstanding innovation was achieved thanks to a further adaptation of the very robust Lyocell process established at the institute – specifically in terms of pulp extraction and pretreatment, says Redlingshöfer. “In principle, this recycling loop can also be applied to cotton fibers as the raw material.” TITK invites industry partners to work together on the further development and implementation of these technologies. 

Under the banner of the Demonstration and Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy (DICE), which was founded at the Rudolstadt institute and is currently under construction, developments in the holistic recycling of textiles are already being driven forward. TITK researchers are now transferring findings from the Lyohemp® recycling project to so-called polycotton textiles, whereby the two material streams of synthetic and cellulosic fibers are additionally separated in order to then recombine them into a material quality suitable for fiber spinning (fiber-to-fiber recycling).

“However,” adds the institute director, “we cannot rely solely on technological solutions to absolve us of our responsibility to use our resources responsibly.” For good reason, the RRR rule often cited in the circular economy has two additional Rs before recycling: reduce and reuse – in other words, consume less and reuse more. Redlingshöfer: “Only in combination with a more conscious use of our raw materials will we be able to make a significant contribution to practical sustainability.” 

ISPO Munich, the world’s leading trade fair for the sports industry and the world’s largest sports business event, is about to begin and will soon present the prestigious ISPO Awards to the most innovative products and newcomers of tomorrow. The ISPO Awards are regarded as a global driving force for the sports industry. Showcasing the latest trends and innovations in product design, materials and digital solutions, these awards set new standards for the future of the sports industry.

The best products of 2024 will be honoured at ISPO Munich in December and can be seen at the ISPO Award area in Hall B1 from 3 to 5 December 2024. At the same time, newcomers to the sports and outdoor industry will be given a stage at ISPO Brandnew, the largest start-up competition in the sports business, where they will present their innovative products in exciting live pitches during ISPO Munich. The grand finale will take place on the second day of the event on the Main Stage.

The ISPO Award seal of quality is given to sports products with a particularly high level of innovation, thus providing a curated overview of the most important trends in the industry. For the brands, innovations are enormously important and indispensable, whether in the textile sector, where much has changed in terms of materials, or in the integration of AI into all sub-sectors of the sporting goods industry. An expert jury of business professionals and regularly changing, sports-loving retail consumers from the ISPO Collaborators Club will review the submitted product innovations in advance and award prizes to the ones that meet the relevant criteria.

The submitted products make it possible to identify and observe trends. In 2024, the spectrum of trends continues to include sustainability in relation to textile innovations, the circular economy and recycling, as well as retail consumers’ desire for multipurpose use of diverse products. The integration of technology and the ever-growing role of AI numbers among the most exciting observations.

SUSTAINABILITY AS THE STANDARD
New EU legislation has led to an acceleration in the development of sustainable, functional materials. At this year’s ISPO Award jury meetings, numerous exciting material innovations were observed, especially in the textile sector. Progress in chemical treatments, such as PFC-free DWRs and textiles, is also remarkable. “Sustainability is increasingly becoming the norm, which means that consumers are coming to expect it as standard”, says juror and textile expert Dr Regina Henkel. “Progress is visible, for example, in the use of mono-materials or bio-based fabrics such as wool-Tencel blends”, which are used, for example, in this year’s ISPO Award winner Icebreaker with the Merino Blend 800 RealFleece Classic Pile LS Zip.

The ISPO Award entries also make it obvious that the performance of sustainable products made from recycled fibres has improved markedly so that the functionality of these products is now fully on a par with non-recycled items. Nevertheless, recycling will not be the solution to all future challenges, which is why manufacturers are increasingly incorporating into their collections natural fibres and biodegradable sports textiles, either in pure form or as a blend.

MULTI-USE REMAINS A TOP TREND
The trend towards multifunctional products reflects consumers’ desire for practical solutions. Particularly in Asia, multifunctional hardware products are perceived positively, while in Europe the focus is on textiles for multifunctional use. “High-quality, high-performance materials and designs are being adapted as everyday fashion, thus appealing to a broader target group”, explains trade journalist Dr Martina Wengenmeir, who is also one of the ISPO Award’s jurors. The “urban outdoor” trend is continuing and multipurpose products are also coming into focus in the area of commitment. One example of this is the Outdoor Backpack 45L from Peak Design, which combines fashionable and multifunctional design with full performance.

ISPO Award juror Dr Wengenmeir has identified another trend: “There is a growing focus on technical sports products designed specifically for women. These include football shoes with a design that is genuinely their own. This development goes beyond simple adjustments and includes well-thought-out designs in terms of fit and functionality.” These also include the BettHer - Bra Antishock+: the bra relies on a patented thermoplastic gel technology that provides excellent shock absorption and protection during intense activities.

INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY
A trend from Asia that is also arriving in Europe is the integration of technology into clothing, for example through sensors and warmth apps. The personalisation of garments using technologies such as AI and sensor technology for temperature regulation is regarded as a potential growth area, despite concerns about sustainability.

Technology is also playing an increasingly important role for brick-and-mortar retailers, for example, when it comes to analysing the right product for the customer. Treadmills for running analysis are well known, but this year’s ISPO Award winner, the Skimulator, is a patented world first for a perfect fit of ski boots. This state-of-the-art simulator precisely simulates slope gradients, thus enabling the perfect fit of the ski boot.

ISPO BRANDNEW AWARD
ISPO Munich also provides a stage for the most innovative and creative newcomers in the sports and outdoor industry. Previous ISPO Brandnew winners include pioneering brands from all over the world that have redefined the boundaries of their respective fields with innovative materials, cutting-edge technology and sustainable action. Four start-ups each from the categories “Outdoor & Adventure & Snowsports”, “Performance, Body & Mind (physical product)”, “Sustainability” and “Sports Technology & Platforms” will pitch their ideas live on the main stage. A sneak peek at the innovations on show includes: BreezeLabs, which monitors breathing patterns during exercise; no normal coffee, coffee in a tube; and the AeroGraph Puffer Jacket, a weather-insulating jacket. The winner will be announced in the grand finale on the second day of the fair (4 December 2024).

In Germany, only 26 per cent of used textiles are recycled, mostly into cleaning rags and insulation material. The vast majority is exported to other countries or incinerated. High-quality recycling of used fibres into new textile fibres is still in its infancy. This also applies to Germany. So far, the majority of recycled used textiles have been made into cleaning cloths, fleece fabrics and insulation materials. Recycled textile fibres that replace fibres made from cotton or petroleum in new textiles are rare.
 
A variety of approaches are needed to reduce the significant environmental impacts of textile production. The priorities are to extend the useful life of textiles and to change the way we consume them. However, the recycling of used textiles that can no longer be reused must also be expanded in terms of both quantity and quality. The Oeko-Institut has therefore been commissioned by NABU to analyse the obstacles to and potential for textile recycling in Germany and In addition to clothing, textiles include home textiles such as bed linen and curtains, as well as technical textiles used, for example, in car manufacturing or in medicine.

High-quality textile recycling alone is not financially viable; rather, a legal framework is needed to promote it in the future. ‘We don't need more cleaning rags,’ says Anna Hanisch, NABU expert on circular economy, ‘Our study shows that there is great potential for higher-quality recycling so that old textiles can be turned into new textiles again. To achieve this, fibre-to-fibre recycling must be expanded. The prerequisite for this is automatic sorting by fibre composition. This is because non-reusable used textiles must be sorted before recycling. This is currently done by hand. A technical solution is what makes recycling economically viable in the first place.’
 
The mechanical recycling that has been used most of the time so far shortens the fibres, so that only a few recycled fibres are suitable for use in new textiles. For this reason, depolymerisation processes are being developed. These require more energy and chemicals, but enable higher-quality recycled fibres for new textiles. According to NABU, extended producer responsibility is necessary to finance and establish these processes. This would have to supplement the EU's mandatory separate collection of used textiles, which will come into force in 2025.

In order to reduce the environmental impact associated with textile production, various approaches are needed: the priority should be to use textiles for longer. However, recycling used textiles that can no longer be used is also part of the solution and must be expanded in terms of both quantity and quality.

Technologically, all approaches have their merits for certain mass flows in order to increase the recycling and use of recycled materials from used textiles in new products. The technologies complement each other. After sorting for reuse, recycling processes should be prioritised as follows:

1. First mechanical recycling, as it requires the least energy.
2. Then comes solvent-based processing and depolymerisation, which require a similar amount of effort.
3. Finally, there is feedstock recycling, which consumes the most resources.

Hanisch: ‘A circular economy starts with the design. For example, in order for textiles to be recycled, they should contain as few different materials as possible. To achieve this, we need ambitious ecodesign requirements for textiles. The focus here must be on durability and recyclability. Above all, however, incentives are needed to reuse recycled raw materials from old textiles. So far, this has hardly happened voluntarily.’   

The recycling of used textiles is facing a potential collapse. Industry experts agree that the current crisis is more serious than the COVID-19 crisis at the time.

In the case of Covid-19, there was a foreseeable period of a few months, after which the industry recovered quite quickly and the effect of pent-up demand caused prices to return to a normal level within a short period of time.
 
“We now have a completely different situation that threatens the existence of many of the established used textile recyclers in the industry,” says Stefan Voigt, Chairman of the bvse's Textile Recycling Association (FTR).
 
The global market for used textiles has been in a deep crisis for some time, which has now reached a level that can only be described as a free fall. Since the spring, the prices for original collected goods no longer cover the enormous costs for container provision, collection and administration.

The price of original goods traded on the market has now reached an all-time low, causing existential hardship for many market participants.

The sale of original and sorted goods has become almost impossible. The loss of established market players has destroyed supply chains that have been tried and tested for years, and stocks of original and sorted goods have reached unprecedented record levels. Some market participants are forced to replace the usual sales business with bartering.

According to industry information, downstream players in the recycling chain, such as shredding and spinning mills, are also under pressure and have made massive staff cuts. The production of cleaning cloths has also reached an all-time low. Due to the relocation of production abroad and reduced domestic production, demand for cleaning cloths has fallen and prices have slipped to a very low level.

Consumer behavior and international markets exacerbate the crisis
Due to the generally high cost burden on the population, the consumption of textiles has collapsed. The negative trend of consuming low-quality fast fashion is now being reinforced by ultra-fast fashion of even poorer quality. This has disastrous effects on value creation within the recycling chain for used textiles.

“During the sorting process, increasingly large quantities of relatively new textiles are being found that are already so defective that they are no longer suitable for further use and therefore have to be fed into the recycling process,” explains Voigt. However, there is no money to be made here either, as the same cost structures apply to this part of the original goods as to wearable goods and the recycling process is also very cost-intensive.

Industry calls for the introduction of an EPR system
Until now, the recycling of the proportion of sorted goods has been subsidised by the proceeds from wearable goods, but this system has not worked for some time. The industry is desperately waiting for the introduction of a national EPR system for textiles in order to stabilise costs.

The EU Commission's recently published draft of the revised EU Waste Framework Directive provides for the introduction of a system of extended producer responsibility for textiles. The existing collection and recycling structures in Germany, which enable the separate collection of used textiles close to the public, are to play a central role in this.

The draft of the National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) also emphasises the importance of the national recycling industry for used textiles. Without it, the establishment of a closed-loop system for textiles would not be feasible.

Crisis not limited to Germany
The crisis has also made ripples internationally. Countries such as the Netherlands, traditionally the largest buyer of used textiles from Germany, have already addressed the crisis in the national media. Almost 250 companies there are involved in the collection, sorting and international marketing of used textiles.

Around 60 per cent of the original goods are recycled as sustainable clothing after sorting, meaning that the industry is reliant on stable markets in which recycling proceeds can be generated. But this is precisely the problem. ‘Due to the effects of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the Eastern European market can only be served in fragments,’ explains Voigt.

In addition, despite its potential, the African market is currently facing enormous challenges because there is practically no money left in the system, he adds, explaining the concerns he receives from many interviewees in the industry: ‘The enormous drop in the value of many currencies in various African countries    means that it is becoming increasingly difficult for African customers to buy urgently needed second-hand clothing for hard currency,’ Voigt continues.

For example, the currency in the extremely important African market of Ghana has lost roughly 20 per cent against the euro over the last six months of 2024. In addition, the transfer of foreign currency now takes up to two months, meaning that it now takes up to six months to return the proceeds of realisation.

In addition, the African market is increasingly dominated by Chinese influence. ‘The actually better quality of high-quality used European second-hand clothing can hardly compete with new Asian goods,’ reports Voigt. Ultra fast fashion from China is flooding the market with extremely low prices, making it increasingly difficult to market sorted, second-hand clothing.

In addition to economic problems, there are also logistical challenges. ‘Our customers are reporting increasing difficulties in obtaining the necessary visas for a business visit to Europe within an acceptable waiting period,’ explains Voigt. The waiting time for an appointment at the consulate can currently be up to two months.

Call for short-term measures
In order to prevent the system from collapsing in the short term, Voigt believes that the usual remuneration structures for local authorities and providers of parking spaces for collection containers need to be reconsidered. ‘Recycling revenues have not been realised for some time now, so they can no longer be paid out or must be adjusted to the current situation,’ says Voigt.

The industry expects the current crisis to last even longer. ‘Not everyone will survive,’ predicts Voigt. Many collection areas are already being offered on the open market and various collection capacities are being cancelled without replacement. The future of the used textile recycling industry remains uncertain and there is no end to the crisis in sight.

Fungi have more to offer than meets the eye. Their thread-like cells, which grow extensively and out of sight underground like a network of roots, offer huge potential for producing sustainable, biodegradable materials. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam Science Park are using this mycelium to develop a wide range of recyclable products, from wallets and insulation to packaging.

Flexible mycelium materials in different thicknesses can be used as upholstery material, insulation board or alternatives to leather.

To most of us, fungi look like a curved cap and a stem. However, the largest part of the organism consists of a network of cell filaments called mycelium, which mainly spreads below ground and can reach significant proportions. This finely branched network has been underutilized until now. However, for researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam, mycelium represents a pioneering raw material with the potential to replace petroleum-based products with natural, organic mycelium composites. Organic residues from regional agricultural and forestry activities are used as the substrate for the fungal cultures. In various projects, the researchers are using mycelium-based materials to produce insulation, packaging, and animal-free alternatives to leather products.

Mycelium-based materials from regional agricultural residues
“Faced with climate change and dwindling fossil raw materials, there is an urgent need for biodegradable materials that can be produced with lower energy consumption,” says Dr. Hannes Hinneburg, a biotechnologist at Fraunhofer IAP. Together with his team, he is using mycelium — for instance, from edible mushrooms or bracket fungi such as the oyster mushroom or tinder fungus — to transform locally available plant residues into sustainable materials. “The mycelium has properties that can be used to produce environmentally friendly, energy-efficient materials, since the growth of the fungi takes place under ambient conditions and CO2 remains stored in the residues. When cellulose and other organic residues decompose, a compact, three-dimensional network forms, enabling a self-sustaining structure to develop,” explains Hinneburg. This produces a material that is a complex compound with an organic substrate such as cereal residues, wood chips, hemp, reeds, rape or other agricultural residues. These substances are a source of nutrients for the fungus and are permeated entirely by a fine network of mycelia during the metabolic process. This produces a fully organic composite that can be made into the required shape and stabilized through thermal treatment. “First, you mix water together with agricultural residues such as straw, wood chips and sawdust to form a mass. Once the level of humidity and particle size have been determined, and the subsequent heat treatment to kill off competing germs has been completed, the substrate is ready. It provides food for the fungi and is mixed with the mycelium. Following a growth phase of around two to three weeks in the incubator, the mixture will produce, depending on the formulation and process used, a substance similar to leather or a composite that can be processed further,” says Hinneburg, summarizing the production process. No light is required for this process — a bonus as far as energy efficiency is concerned.

Versatile applications: strength and elasticity can be specifically configured
The fungal materials can be cultivated with a wide range of properties. Depending on the application, they can be hard-wearing, stretchable, tear-resistant, impermeable, elastic, soft and fluffy, or open-pored. The result is determined by the combination of the type of fungus and agricultural residues, plus variable parameters such as temperature and humidity. The duration of mycelial growth also influences the end product. The versatility of the material means it can take on a huge variety of forms, from thick blocks to wafer-thin layers, and be used in a multitude of scenarios. This makes it possible to use fungi-based materials for textile upholstery, packaging, furniture, bags or insulation boards for interiors. When used as a construction material, the fungus primarily functions as a biological adhesive since a wide range of organic particles are joined together via the mycelium.

“The many positive properties of the material, heat-insulating, electrically insulating, moisture-regulating and fire-resistant, enable an important step toward circular and climate-positive construction,” says Hinneburg, one of whose current projects involves developing a novel polystyrene alternative for thermal insulation. In another project, he is working alongside the Institute for Food and Environmental Research and Agro Saarmund e.G. to produce environmentally friendly, mycelium-based packaging trays from residues and raw materials sourced from local agricultural and forestry activities. In work he has done with designers, he has also developed the base material for animal-free alternatives to leather products such as bags and wallets. As the mycelium-based materials look similar to their leather counterparts, they can be used to complement leather items in certain areas.

Developing industrial processes
In Europe, only a few companies are currently developing mycelium-based materials for commercial use. The challenges in this area include access to biogenic residues, the ability to ensure consistent product quality and the means to scale up activities efficiently.

To address these challenges, the researchers are using a newly developed roll-to-roll method, for which they have already created a prototype. This method offers significant advantages over standard manufacturing processes involving boxes and shelving systems: By using a standardized, continuous production method under controlled process conditions (such as temperature and humidity), the researchers can ensure that the mycelium-based products have consistent material properties. What’s more, resources can be used more efficiently, and production can be scaled to an industrial level. “This is crucial in order to meet growing industry demand for sustainable materials and to become less dependent on petroleum in the long term. Production can also be improved further by using innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence to optimize the combination of residues and types of fungi,” says Hinneburg.

The rise of fast-fashion, marked by rapid turnover of collections, has led to a sevenfold increase in the global trade of used clothing in the last 4 decades. With more than 80% of all purchased clothing items globally (62% in the EU) being disposed of as general garbage, which is incinerated or landfilled, this represents a massive waste of resources, causing severe environmental and health impacts. A report recently published by UNECE and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) contains an in-depth analysis of second-hand clothing trade between Europe and Chile, offers policy recommendations to the industry, exporting and importing countries to remedy this situation.

According to UN Comtrade data, in 2021 the European Union (30%), China (16%), and the United States (15%) were the leading exporters of discarded clothes, while Asia (28%, predominantly Pakistan), Africa (19%, especially Ghana and Kenya), and Latin America (16%, mainly Chile and Guatemala) were the leading importers.  

This has been facilitated by the advent of low-cost synthetic fibres and by trade liberalization that allowed the offshoring of production to countries with low-wage labour. Large proportions of clothing are made from difficult-to-separate blended fibres, making opportunities for economic reuse and recycling rare, particularly in developed countries.

“When did we normalize throwing clothes away?”, questions Lily Cole, Climate Activist and Advisor to UNECE. “As the world, mostly the Global North, has produced and consumed fashion at an unrelenting rate, a handful of countries, mainly in the Global South, have become cemeteries for the world’s unloved clothes. While visiting the Atacama Desert, my attention was brought to the textile mountains and the shifting cultural, economic, and political landscapes that birthed them. Consumer awareness is very helpful, yet, ultimately, we need policies to curb systemic trends, which is why this report and its recommendations are so necessary.”

Europe: sorting and recycling capacities lag behind  
In Europe only 15-20% of disposed textiles are collected, usually through containers, door-to-door collection and donations. About half of the collected textiles are downcycled to be used as, for example, insulation, filling, and single-use industrial wipes. Only 1% is recycled into higher value outputs such as new clothing, while the remainder is exported to developing countries.  

Of the 55% of collected clothes that are reusable, only 5 percentage points have a value on second-hand markets in the EU, while 50 percentage points have a value on export markets.  

The European Union has thus tripled its exports of used clothes over the past 2 decades, from 550,000 to 1.7 million tons. Europe, including the United Kingdom, accounts now for more than a third of global used clothing exports, and this share could continue to grow as collection rates are expected to rise.  

A design-led circular economy approach to clothing is still in its infancy. The EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) was adopted in 2020, the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles was adopted in 2022, and the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation was adopted in 2023. However, these policies are still to bear fruit in the form of large-scale upstream solutions to the problems of textile waste. 

“The used clothes global market is constantly growing, and with it, its negative impacts. The textile industry has a key responsibility to adopt more sustainable practices, exporters and importers to adopt relevant policy decisions to foster traceability, circularity and sustainability. UN/CEFACT policy recommendations and standards will support this transition. And of course, we all have a role to play, as consumers, to make sustainable choices,” stressed UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean.

The case of Chile: mountains of used clothes visible from the moon  
Most countries in Latin America (including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru) have introduced clothing import bans to protect their national textile and fashion industries and avoid the threats posed by clothing dumps.

By contrast, Chile levies zero tariffs, and applies no quantity restrictions in imports, only requiring shipments to be sanitised (by fumigation). It has thus become one of the top 10 importers in the world, and the first in Latin America, receiving 126,000 tons of textiles in 2021. 40% of these entered the country through the northern port of Iquique, where they are manually sorted, primarily by women, and separated into first, second, and third quality.

75% of all imported used clothes were deemed non-reusable, 30,000 tons of which are covering today 30 hectares of the Atacama desert, generating pollution and creating hazard to local communities’ health. At the same time, trade in second-hand garments also provides employment and formal and informal income for national and migrant populations in established stores and open-air markets across the country, and this must be factored in when redefining public policies.

“To address the environmental and social issues of used textile trade, the EU and Chile must work together on creating robust regulatory frameworks. A partnership between the European Union and Chile could pioneer innovative approaches to regulate and reduce the impact of second-hand textile trade, including by setting global standards for the trade of used textiles, focusing on sustainability and social responsibility." Highlights UNECLAC Executive Secretary, Mr. José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs.  

Multifold recommendations
The report contains a series of recommendations to the textile industry, exporters and importers.   

To exporting countries

• Make circular economy considerations central to the design of clothing, with mandatory targets for fibre composition that improve quality, durability, repairability, and recyclability  
• Introduce an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system holding producers responsible for the products they manufacture  
• Develop more sorting and recycling plants, through financial incentives  
• Develop minimum EU criteria for second-hand clothing exports through the use of digital product passports (DPPs)  
• Run awareness-raising campaigns to encourage consumers to make more informed choices about their clothes

To importing countries – the example of Chile

• Improve customs procedures & administrative measures at the port of Iquique to ensure digital traceability of flows of used clothing and textile based on the UN/CEFACT traceability standard   
• Establish a Circular Economy Strategy for Textiles  
• Set-up public-private alliances for recycling projects through tax extension schemes and funds to support entrepreneurship, innovation, and job creation for vulnerable groups, particularly in the Tarapacá region  
• Improve the legal framework for waste management   
• Implement a Regional Solid Waste Control Plan, involving inspections of sanitary landfills, clean points, and dumps to increase the enforcement capacity of regional health authorities  
• Accelerate the adoption of the Chilean draft law on environmental quality of soils.

The report also recommends making changes to international trade agreements, such as the2023 Interim Trade Agreement between the EU and Chile, which includes a chapter on Trade and Sustainable Development, to step up bilateral cooperation, and using it as a template for other bilateral trade agreements between the EU and other countries.   

Download the Executive Summary

In a world first for the fashion industry, in October 2020 twelve pioneering players came together to break new ground by demonstrating a circular model for commercial garment production. Over more than three years, textile waste was collected and sorted, and regenerated into a new, man-made cellulosic fiber that looks and feels like cotton – a “new cotton” – using Infinited Fiber Company’s textile fiber regeneration technology.
 
The pioneering New Cotton Project launched in October 2020 with the aim of demonstrating a circular value chain for commercial garment production. Through-out the project the consortium worked to collect and sort end-of-life textiles, which using pioneering Infinited Fiber technology could be regenerated into a new man-made cellulosic fibre called Infinna™ which looks and feels just like virgin cotton. The fibres were then spun into yarns and manufactured into different types of fabric which were designed, produced, and sold by adidas and H&M, making the adidas by Stella McCartney tracksuit and a H&M printed jacket and jeans the first to be produced through a collaborative circular consortium of this scale, demonstrating a more innovative and circular way of working for the fashion industry.
 
As the project completes in March 2024, the consortium highlights eight key factors they have identified as fundamental to the successful scaling of fibre-to-fibre recycling.

The wide scale adoption of circular value chains is critical to success
Textile circularity requires new forms of collaboration and open knowledge exchange among different actors in circular ecosystems. These ecosystems must involve actors beyond traditional supply chains and previously disconnected industries and sectors, such as the textile and fashion, waste collection and sorting and recycling industries, as well as digital technology, research organisations and policymakers. For the ecosystem to function effectively, different actors need to be involved in aligning priorities, goals and working methods, and to learn about the others’ needs, requirements and techno-economic possibilities. From a broader perspective, there is also a need for a more fundamental shift in mindsets and business models concerning a systemic transition toward circularity, such as moving away from the linear fast fashion business models. As well as sharing knowledge openly within such ecosystems, it also is important to openly disseminate lessons learnt and insights in order to help and inspire other actors in the industry to transition to the Circular Economy.

Circularity starts with the design process
When creating new styles, it is important to keep an end-of-life scenario in mind right from the beginning. As this will dictate what embellishments, prints, accessories can be used. If designers make it as easy as possible for the recycling process, it has the bigger chance to actually be feedstock again. In addition to this, it is important to develop business models that enable products to be used as long as possible, including repair, rental, resale, and sharing services.

Building and scaling sorting and recycling infrastructure is critical
In order to scale up circular garment production, there is a need for technological innovation and infrastructure development in end-of-use textiles collection, sorting, and the mechanical pre-processing of feedstock. Currently, much of the textiles sorting is done manually, and the available optical sorting and identification technologies are not able to identify garment layers, complex fibre blends, or which causes deviations in feedstock quality for fibre-to-fibre recycling. Feedstock preprocessing is a critical step in textile-to-textile recycling, but it is not well understood outside of the actors who actually implement it. This requires collaboration across the value chain, and it takes in-depth knowledge and skill to do it well. This is an area that needs more attention and stronger economic incentives as textile-to-textile recycling scales up.

Improving quality and availability of data is essential
There is still a significant lack of available data to support the shift towards a circular textiles industry. This is slowing down development of system level solutions and economic incentives for textile circulation. For example, quantities of textiles put on the market are often used as a proxy for quantities of post-consumer textiles, but available data is at least two years old and often incomplete. There can also be different textile waste figures at a national level that do not align, due to different methodologies or data years. This is seen in the Dutch 2018 Mass Balance study reports and 2020 Circular Textile Policy Monitoring Report, where there is a 20% difference between put on market figures and measured quantities of post-consumer textiles collected separately and present in mixed residual waste. With the exception of a few good studies such as Sorting for Circularity Europe and ReFashion’s latest characterization study, there is almost no reliable information about fibre composition in the post-consumer textile stream either. Textile-to-textile recyclers would benefit from better availability of more reliable data. Policy monitoring for Extended Producer Responsibility schemes should focus on standardising reporting requirements across Europe from post-consumer textile collection through their ultimate end point and incentivize digitization so that reporting can be automated, and high-quality textile data becomes available in near-real time.

The need for continuous research and development across the entire value chain
Overall, the New Cotton Project’s findings suggest that fabrics incorporating Infinna™ fibre offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional cotton and viscose fabrics, while maintaining similar performance and aesthetic qualities. This could have significant implications for the textile industry in terms of sustainability and lower impact production practices. However, the project also demonstrated that the scaling of fibre-to-fibre recycling will continue to require ongoing research and development across the entire value chain. For example, the need for research and development around sorting systems is crucial. Within the chemical recycling process, it is also important to ensure the high recovery rate and circulation of chemicals used to limit the environmental impact of the process. The manufacturing processes also highlighted the benefit for ongoing innovation in the processing method, requiring technologies and brands to work closely with manufacturers to support further development in the field.

Thinking beyond lower impact fibres
The New Cotton Project value chain third party verified LCA reveals that the cellulose carbamate fibre, and in particular when produced with a renewable electricity source, shows potential to lower environmental impacts compared to conventional cotton and viscose. Although, it's important to note that this comparison was made using average global datasets from Ecoinvent for cotton and viscose fibres, and there are variations in the environmental performance of primary fibres available on the market. However, the analysis also highlights the importance of the rest of the supply chain to reduce environmental impact. The findings show that even if we reduce the environmental impacts by using recycled fibres, there is still work to do in other life cycle stages. For example; garment quality and using the garment during their full life span are crucial for mitigating the environmental impacts per garment use.
          
Citizen engagement
The EU has identified culture as one of the key barriers to the adoption of the circular economy within Europe. An adidas quantitative consumer survey conducted across three key markets during the project revealed that there is still confusion around circularity in textiles, which has highlighted the importance of effective citizen communication and engagement activities.

Cohesive legislation
Legislation is a powerful tool for driving the adoption of more sustainable and circular practices in the textiles industry. With several pieces of incoming legislation within the EU alone, the need for a cohesive and harmonised approach is essential to the successful implementation of policy within the textiles industry. Considering the link between different pieces of legislation such as Extended Producer Responsibility and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, along with their corresponding timeline for implementation will support stakeholders from across the value chain to prepare effectively for adoption of these new regulations.

The high, and continuously growing demand for recycled materials implies that all possible end-of-use textiles must be collected and sorted. Both mechanical and chemical recycling solutions are needed to meet the demand. We should also implement effectively both paths; closed-loop (fibre-to-fibre) and open -loop recycling (fibre to other sectors). There is a critical need to reconsider the export of low-quality reusable textiles outside the EU. It would be more advantageous to reuse them in Europe, or if they are at the end of their lifetime recycle these textiles within the European internal market rather than exporting them to countries where demand is often unverified and waste management inadequate.

Overall, the learnings spotlight the need for a holistic approach and a fundamental mindset shift in ways of working for the textiles industry. Deeper collaboration and knowledge exchange is central to developing effective circular value chains, helping to support the scaling of innovative recycling technologies and increase availability of recycled fibres on the market. The further development and scaling of collecting and sorting, along with the need to address substantial gaps in the availability of quality textile flow data should be urgently prioritised. The New Cotton Project has also demonstrated the potential of recycled fibres such as Infinna™ to offer a more sustainable option to some other traditional fibres, but at the same time highlights the importance of addressing the whole value chain holistically to make greater gains in lowering environmental impact. Ongoing research and development across the entire value chain is also essential to ensure we can deliver recycled fabrics at scale in the future.

The New Cotton Project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101000559.

Wind turbines typically operate for 20 to 30 years before they are undergoing dismantling and recycling. However, the recycling of fiber composites, especially from the thick-walled rotor blade parts, has been inadequate until now. The prevailing methods involve thermal or mechanical recycling. For a sustainable and holistic recycling process, a research consortium led by Fraunhofer IFAM is pooling their expertise to recover the fibers through pyrolysis. Subsequent surface treatment and quality testing of the recyclates allow for them to be used again in industry.

Today, the vast majority of wind turbines can already be recycled cleanly. In the case of rotor blades, however, recycling is only just beginning. Due to the 20-year operation period and the installation rates, the blade volume for recycling will be increasing in the coming years and decades. In 2000, for example, around 6,000 wind turbines were erected in Germany, which now need to be fed into a sustainable recycling process. In 2022, about 30,000 onshore and offshore wind turbines with a capacity of 65 gigawatts were in operation in Germany alone.

As wind energy is the most important cornerstone for a climate-neutral power supply, the German government has set itself the goal of further increasing its wind energy capacity by 2030 by installing larger and more modern turbines. Rotor blades will become longer, the proportion of carbon fibers used will continue to increase - and so will the amount of waste. In addition, the existing material mix in rotor blades is expected to increase in the future and precise knowledge of the structure of the components will become even more important for recycling. This underscores the urgency of developing sustainable processing methods, especially for recycling the thick-walled fiber composites in the rotor blades.

Economic and ecological recycling solution for fiber composites on the horizon
Rotor blades of wind turbines currently up for recycling consist of more than 85 percent of glass- and carbon-fiber-reinforced thermosets (GFRP/CFRP). A large proportion of these materials is found in the flange and root area and within the fiber-reinforced straps as thick-walled laminates with a wall thicknesses of up to 150 mm. Research into high-quality material fiber recycling as continuous fibers is of particular importance, not only because of the energy required for carbon fiber production. This is where the project "Pyrolysis of thick-walled fiber composites as a key innovation in the recycling process for wind turbine rotor blades" – "RE SORT" for short – funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection comes in. The aim of the project team is the complete recycling by means of pyrolysis.

A prerequisite for high-quality recycling of fiber composites is the separation of the fibers from the mostly thermoset matrix. Although pyrolysis is a suitable process for this purpose, it has not yet gained widespread adoption. Within the project, the project partners are therefore investigating and developing pyrolysis technologies that make the recycling of thick-walled fiber composite structures economically feasible and are technically different from the recycling processes commonly used for fiber composites today. Both quasi-continuous batch and microwave pyrolysis are being considered.

Batch pyrolysis, which is being developed within the project, is a pyrolysis process in which the thermoset matrix of thick fiber composite components is slowly decomposed into oily and especially gaseous hydrocarbon compounds by external heating. In microwave pyrolysis, energy is supplied by the absorption of microwave radiation, resulting in internal rapid heat generation. Quasi-continuous batch pyrolysis as well as microwave pyrolysis allow the separation of pyrolysis gases or oils. The planned continuous microwave pyrolysis also allows for the fibers to be preserved and reused in their full length.

How the circular economy succeeds - holistic utilization of the recycled products obtained
In the next step, the surfaces of the recovered recycled fibers are prepared by means of atmospheric plasmas and wet-chemical coatings to ensure their suitability for reuse in industrial applications. Finally, strength tests can be used to decide whether the recycled fibers will be used again in the wind energy industry or, for example, in the automotive or sporting goods sectors.

The pyrolysis oils and pyrolysis gases obtained in batch and microwave pyrolysis are evaluated with respect to their usability as raw materials for polymer synthesis (pyrolysis oils) or as energy sources for energy use in combined heat and power (CHP) plants (pyrolysis gases).

Both quasi-continuous batch pyrolysis and continuous-flow microwave pyrolysis promise economical operation and a significant reduction in the environmental footprint of wind energy. Therefore, the chances for a technical implementation and utilization of the project results are very good, so that this project can make a decisive contribution to the achievement of the sustainability and climate goals of the German Federal Government.

Any prospective buyer interested in knowing more about the products they have set their eyes on will have to cope with limited information on print or online manuals or engage in time-consuming research. This may change soon, as the European Commission introduced a standardised digital product passport for the upcoming legislation. A project consortium has been formed with partners from industry and academia to set ground for the developments. The idea is for the proposed passports, supported by EU regulations, to make all product information available along the entire value chain and easily accessible e.g. by QR code.

ID cards and passports are usually the first things packed when one goes on a journey. They are internationally recognized and accepted documents with all the necessary information about the holder: Commonplace items for people that will soon become just as common for electronic devices, textiles, or batteries. But mobile phones, tablet computers, and their kin usually do not travel with a passport pouch, so their digital product passports with all their “personal details” will soon be accessible at every link in the value chain via a QR code or RFID chip.

Consumers looking to buy a new piece of clothing, a piece of electronics, or even furniture or toys should have more means to understand important information about their products, including their energy efficiency, the labor conditions during manufacturing, or their reparability, in order to make informed and sustainable purchasing choices.

Product passports also hold great potential for other actors, e.g. for repairs or recycling. Current electronic products, often highly miniaturized, make it hard to understand with materials, not least toxic substances are contained and how they could be separated from another. Use-specific certificates can regulate that this type of information is available to the people who need to know it.

No final decision has yet been made about the range of information that will be contained in the product passports. For the CIRPASS project, Eduard Wagner and his team at Fraunhofer ZM is currently surveying which types of information are already covered by current legal requirements and which additional information could be contained on a digital product passport. Their aim is to provide an information architecture that determines which types of information have added value for which actors in the value chain and at what cost this information could be provided. A reparability scale that shows how easily a product is to repair has been required in France since 2021 and might be a good inclusion in the digital, pan-European product passport. “Information about energy efficiency is already required, but this information still has to be prepared on a case-by-case basis, and there are no universal European disclosure requirements for other types of circularity related information. Meaningful standardization here is one of the top goals of the product passport. Imagine we could compare the durability of all t-shirts in the EU between each other,” says sustainability expert Eduard Wagner.

For the first product passports to be ready by 2026, many actors still need to be brought on board and a consensus be found for which information is most relevant. “Our project has identified 23 groups of stakeholders that we are including in our survey of requirements, in all three sectors”, Wagner explains. “We have suppliers of materials, manufacturers of electronics, and representatives of repair and recycling associations with us.” The results of these consultations will go to the European Commission to act as pointers for the political process en route to new legal requirements for the product passport. Small to medium-sized enterprises are given special attention and support in this, as providing the required information can mean a considerable effort on their part.

• With fast fashion, the quantity of clothes produced and thrown away has boomed.

Fast fashion is the constant provision of new styles at very low prices. To tackle the impact on the environment, the EU wants to reduce textile waste and increase the life cycle and recycling of textiles. This is part of the plan to achieve a circular economy by 2050.

Overconsumption of natural resources
It takes a lot of water to produce textile, plus land to grow cotton and other fibres. It is estimated that the global textile and clothing industry used 79 billion cubic metres of water in 2015, while the needs of the EU's whole economy amounted to 266 billion cubic metres in 2017.

To make a single cotton t-shirt, 2,700 litres of fresh water are required according to estimates, enough to meet one person’s drinking needs for 2.5 years.

The textile sector was the third largest source of water degradation and land use in 2020. In that year, it took on average nine cubic metres of water, 400 square metres of land and 391 kilogrammes (kg) of raw materials to provide clothes and shoes for each EU citizen.

Water pollution
Textile production is estimated to be responsible for about 20% of global clean water pollution from dyeing and finishing products.

Laundering synthetic clothes accounts for 35% of primary microplastics released into the environment. A single laundry load of polyester clothes can discharge 700,000 microplastic fibres that can end up in the food chain.

The majority of microplastics from textiles are released during the first few washes. Fast fashion is based on mass production, low prices and high sales volumes that promotes many first washes.

Washing synthetic products has caused more than 14 million tonnes of microplastics to accumulate on the bottom of the oceans. In addition to this global problem, the pollution generated by garment production has a devastating impact on the health of local people, animals and ecosystems where the factories are located.

Greenhouse gas emissions
The fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions – more than international flights and maritime shipping combined.

According to the European Environment Agency, textile purchases in the EU in 2020 generated about 270 kg of CO2 emissions per person. That means textile products consumed in the EU generated greenhouse gas emissions of 121 million tonnes.

Textile waste in landfills and low recycling rates
The way people get rid of unwanted clothes has also changed, with items being thrown away rather than donated. Less than half of used clothes are collected for reuse or recycling, and only 1% of used clothes are recycled into new clothes, since technologies that would enable clothes to be recycled into virgin fibres are only now starting to emerge.

Between 2000 and 2015, clothing production doubled, while the average use of an item of clothing has decreased.

Europeans use nearly 26 kilos of textiles and discard about 11 kilos of them every year. Used clothes can be exported outside the EU, but are mostly (87%) incinerated or landfilled.

The rise of fast fashion has been crucial in the increase in consumption, driven partly by social media and the industry bringing fashion trends to more consumers at a faster pace than in the past.

The new strategies to tackle this issue include developing new business models for clothing rental, designing products in a way that would make re-use and recycling easier (circular fashion), convincing consumers to buy fewer clothes of better quality (slow fashion) and generally steering consumer behaviour towards more sustainable options.

Work in progress: the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles
As part of the circular economy action plan, the European Commission presented in March 2022 a new strategy to make textiles more durable, repairable, reusable and recyclable, tackle fast fashion and stimulate innovation within the sector.

The new strategy includes new ecodesign requirements for textiles, clearer information, a Digital Product Passport and calls companies to take responsibility and act to minimise their carbon and environmental footprints

On 1 June 2023, MEPs set out proposals for tougher EU measures to halt the excessive production and consumption of textiles. Parliament’s report calls for textiles to be produced respecting human, social and labour rights, as well as the environment and animal welfare.

Existing EU measures to tackle textile waste
Under the waste directive approved by the Parliament in 2018, EU countries are obliged to collect textiles separately by 2025. The new Commission strategy also includes measures to, tackle the presence of hazardous chemicals, calls producers have to take responsibility for their products along the value chain, including when they become wasteand help consumers to choose sustainable textiles.

The EU has an EU Ecolabel that producers respecting ecological criteria can apply to items, ensuring a limited use of harmful substances and reduced water and air pollution.

The EU has also introduced some measures to mitigate the impact of textile waste on the environment. Horizon 2020 funds Resyntex, a project using chemical recycling, which could provide a circular economy business model for the textile industry.

A more sustainable model of textile production also has the potential to boost the economy. "Europe finds itself in an unprecedented health and economic crisis, revealing the fragility of our global supply chains," said lead MEP Huitema. "Stimulating new innovative business models will in turn create new economic growth and the job opportunities Europe will need to recover."