#Recycling / Circular Economy

2019-10-30

Södra’s breakthrough will enable large-scale textile recycling

At present, no one in the world can recycle fibres from blended fabrics on a large scale. Södra now has a unique solution that will enable circular flows in the fashion and textile industry.

“Only a negligible proportion of the global production of clothing and textiles is recycled today. Virtually everything is sent to landfill or incineration. But Swedish innovation and a willingness to help mitigate climate change can now influence the game at a global level,” said Lars Idermark, President and CEO of Södra.

One of the major obstacles to textile recycling is that the fabrics are often made from blended materials. Södra’s new technique can separate the cotton and polyester in polycotton blends, which are one of the most widely used textiles on the market. The pure cotton fibres are then added to our wood-derived textile pulp, which can then be used to make new textiles.

“We are now redrawing the map for the fashion and textile industry by offering circular flows of textile fibres. A sweater can now become a sweater again. This will create added value for our customers, and especially the fashion industry. It’s a big day for us and an equally big day for the emerging circular bioeconomy,” said Johannes Bogren, President of Södra Cell Bioproducts.

During the autumn, Södra’s pulp mill at Mörrum produced pulp by adding 20 tonnes of used textiles. At present, Södra can only accept white textiles, but the aim is to also find a decolouring solution. The goal is also to investigate the possibility of extracting a stream of residual products from the polyester. Swedish laundry and textile service provider Berendsen delivered the test material used in the pilot project comprising end-of-life sheets, towels, tablecloths and bathrobes from hospitals and hotels.

“We will be able to accept viscose and lyocell in addition to polycotton blends. Due to the technological change in our processes, we will be needing large volumes of textiles. We are now seeking companies with high sustainability ambitions that would like to partner with us in the delivery of textiles,” said Helena Claesson, Project Manager, Södra

Production will commence at a low rate of 30 tonnes this year, but the long-term target is to add 25,000 tonnes of textiles to the company’s pulp production.

Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 signed by Governor

Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) is proud to announce that Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, has been signed into law by the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. This groundbreaking legislation establishes the country’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) textile recycling program, marking a significant step forward in the state’s efforts to combat waste and promote sustainability.

Modtissimo promotes sustainability with 28 coordinates in the Green Circle

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matterr at K – Where innovation meets industry

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Nike unites innovation, design and product teams to accelerate athlete-centered innovation

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DORNIER celebrates its anniversary at ITMA Asia + CITME

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BCI warns against ‘dangerous dilution’ of EU corporate directives

The approval of the European Commission’s Omnibus I proposal by the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, accepting controversial changes to key sustainability directives is of great concern. These changes, namely to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), threaten to significantly dilute business reporting and due diligence obligations.

Pioneering open-source framework shows how early innovation drives a just and net-zero fashion future

The non-profit H&M Foundation, in collaboration with Accenture, has unveiled From Signals to Systems Change, an insight report calling on the fashion industry to rethink its role in transformation. At its core is the Reimagined System Map, a pioneering open-source framework that visualises how early-stage innovation could drive a just and net-zero textile future.