Recycling textile waste: Dutch researchers take a big step forward
Revolutionary recycling tech tackles textile waste, converting polycotton fabrics into reusable materials and bio-based glucose.
Published on February 6, 2025
AI-generated image
Currently, the world recycles as little as 1% of the textile waste it produces. Textile fiber production reached a record 113 million tons in 2021, and it is set to expand further by 2030. As a result, the textile industry is the third most polluting industry, following the oil and gas and agriculture industries.
A group of Dutch researchers has developed a new, efficient method to recycle part of this waste stream, efficiently separating polycotton textiles—a cheaper alternative to cotton fabrics widely used in most of the garments we wear. This process effectively separates and converts cotton into glucose, a valuable bio-based feedstock, while allowing the polyester fibers to be reprocessed through existing recycling methods. Given the complexity of separating the two materials, this process offers a high-efficiency recycling option.
Separating two thoroughly intertwined materials woven together has been one of the most frustrating challenges in textile recycling, particularly with polycotton blends. The urgency of finding a solution cannot be overstated - in Europe alone, we generate a staggering 16 kilograms of textile waste per person, with only 12% being correctly recycled or reused.
A solution to tackle textile waste
Researchers at the University of Amsterdam, in collaboration with Avantium, developed a process that employs superconcentrated hydrochloric acid (43%) at room temperature to break down the cotton component of polycotton fabrics completely. What makes this method particularly impressive is its ability to convert the cotton into glucose while leaving the polyester component entirely intact. This dual achievement represents the first effective method of its kind, offering high-efficiency recycling for both materials.
The implications of this innovation extend far beyond simply reducing waste. The glucose derived from cotton can serve as a valuable feedstock for various industrial applications, including the production of renewable plastics and other biobased products. Meanwhile, the preserved polyester fibers can be redirected into existing recycling streams, creating a truly circular solution. As Prof. Gert-Jan Gruter, Chief Technology Officer at Avantium, emphasizes, "Being able to recover glucose from the cotton in textile waste is a crucial contribution to this, as glucose is a key bio-based feedstock."
Europe's looming textile waste challenge: urgent action needed
Europe only recycles 12% of the textile waste it produces, a new report by the European Environmental Agency suggest.
The road ahead
While this breakthrough offers tremendous promise, the scale of the challenge remains daunting. The EU currently can store about 1.5 million tonnes of used and waste textiles annually, but this falls far short of the actual waste generated. By 2025, seventeen textile recycling companies across the EU are expected to process between 1.25 and 1.3 million tonnes of fibers annually. The commercialization of this new hydrochloric acid process could significantly boost these numbers, with Avantium already making substantial investments in its development.