#Research & Development

2022-08-04

Prof. Thomas Gries on "The Recycling Problem of Clothes" at "Uni am Rathaus".

The discussion participants at the Katschhof in Aachen, Germany, far right Prof. Thomas Gries © 2022 ITA

On 20 July, Prof. Thomas Gries joined Sibylle Keupen, Mayor of the City of Aachen, Heiko Thomas, Councillor for Climate and Environment, Municipal Operations and Buildings of the City of Aachen, and Professor Marzia Traverso, Head of the Institute for Sustainability in Construction at RWTH Aachen University, at a panel discussion on "Textiles in the Circular Economy: Are our clothes becoming a problem?" at the Katschhof from 6 pm. (see picture, Prof. Gries is on the far right, source: ITA).

Textiles are - after food - the second most important consumer product in Germany: 20 to 25 kilogrammes are consumed per capita annually. Of this, 75 per cent is clothing, the rest is, for example, nappies, carpets or household textiles. However, the recycling rate is only one percent. How can this problem be solved? What can cities and municipalities do, what can science do? Is it possible to produce regionally produced clothing on a large scale again in Germany? Structural change also opens up opportunities for change in the textile industry.

Prof. Gries showed current projects on these topics and, among other things, how new textiles are produced at ITA from old blankets. The process addresses one of the main problems of recycling, the processing of mixed waste. With the process developed at ITA, pure acrylic fibres could be recovered from mixed waste and knitted into a cushion cover presented there.

The Citizens' Forum RWTHextern („Bürgerforum RWTH Extern“) and the City of Aachen had invited to this panel discussion. The event was moderated by Jens Tervooren from WDR.

Pellet press enables thermomechanical textile recycling on a pilot scale at ITA

Since the end of 2025, the technical centre of the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University has been equipped with a pellet press from the manufacturer Amandus Kahl GmbH & Co. KG, Reinbek, Germany. This press can efficiently compact shredded synthetic textiles at a throughput of up to 25 kg/h and process them into pellets with a diameter of 4 mm.

Solid Air Dynamics wins second place at RWTH Innovation Award

On 30 January, RWTH spin-off Solid Air Dynamics was awarded second place in the RWTH Innovation Awards for its research in the field of aerogel fibres. Manufactured from renewable raw materials, aerogel fibres offer outstanding thermal insulation, are extremely lightweight and completely biodegradable, and can consist of over 90 per cent air.

Award-winning research for sustainable carbon fibre cycles

Sustainable recycling of carbon fibres is possible through targeted electrochemical surface modification, which makes the sizing of carbon fibres resistant to solvolysis. ITA PhD student Sabina Dann was awarded the MSW Award from RWTH Aachen University for her master's thesis on this development. The award ceremony took place on 12 November 2025 in Aachen.

Pioneer of the first hour: Michael Carus steps down after more than 30 years from nova-Institute’s Management

After more than three decades at the helm, founder and CEO Michael Carus is set to step down as head of the Renewable Carbon division on 1 March 2026. Lars Börger as the new CEO, will take over this key position of the nova-Institute together with COO Linda Engel, while Carus will remain with the research and consulting company as a senior advisor and shareholder. This change takes place after a one-year transition phase, as planned.

The nova-Institute establishes new Renewable Feedstock Department to lay the groundwork for industrial defossilisation

The transition from fossil-based to renewable carbon – sourced from biomass, CO₂ utilisation and recycling – is the cornerstone of a climate-neutral chemical industry. The nova-Institute’s new department is dedicated to providing the essential data, analyses and strategic roadmaps required to secure a reliable future feedstock supply and make this transition a commercial and ecological reality.

INDEX™26: Pioneering highlights at the World’s leading nonwovens exhibition

INDEX™26, the World’s Leading Nonwovens Exhibition, will take place from 19 to 22 May 2026 at PALEXPO in Geneva. The upcoming edition serves as a hub for innovation, inspiration, and networking with international decision-makers, positioning itself as a cross-industry platform for exchange across all nonwoven sectors. With 600 exhibitors expected, INDEX™26 represents the entire value chain of the industry, from raw materials and machinery to producers of nonwovens, components, and converters.

RETECH showcases high-precision godets for high-performance fiber processing at Techtextil 2026

RETECH designs and manufactures godets and draw frames for heated, ambient and cooled processes, enabling precise heat treatment and consistently high yarn quality for a wide range of polymers and applications, with process temperatures of up to 400 °C for high-performance fibers. The company’s key competence lies in exact and stable temperature and speed control, individually adapted to the specific material and process requirements.

BW Converting expands Southeast Asian presence with new agency partnerships in Vietnam and Indonesia

BW Converting is strengthening its presence in Southeast Asia through new agency partnerships in Vietnam and Indonesia, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting textile manufacturers across the region. The expansion comes as BW Converting prepares to exhibit at SaigonTex 2026 (April 8–11, Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) and INDO INTERTEX 2026 (April 15–18, Jakarta International Expo, Indonesia).