FLEXIBLE FUND

Increasing Textile Circularity

Lead institution

Partners

Project Duration

Increasing textile circularity: understanding barriers to recycled fibre quality and perception.

The UK generates one tonne of textile waste every minute, while globally, 100 billion garments are produced annually, with less than 1% recycled into new clothing. Polyester, the most commonly used fibre, offers significant fibre-to-fibre recycling potential but this potential is hindered by the often low quality of recycled polyester pellets due to contaminates in used clothing. The lack of adoption of new yarn innovations by brands further restricts the widespread use of recycled garments.

We tackle these issues by:

• Developing a pre-recycling treatment process to improve recycled polyester quality.
• Engaging with stakeholders to understand and address barriers to fibre recycling.
• Studying the environmental impact of recycled garments by examining the levels of microfibre release during laundry.
• Creating a knowledge repository to optimise recycling processes and promote industry adoption.

This interdisciplinary approach aims to embed circular economy principles and advance sustainability in the UK fashion and textile industry.