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more susceptible to the subsequent hydrolysis. Enzymes, which are required for
hydrolysis, are produced through fungal cultivation; these fungi grow in the surface
of the fabric in 28 °C for 7 days. Aspergillus niger CKB is then recovered from the
hydrolysis, in which the enzyme solution is blended with the pretreatment textile
waste undergoing hydrolysis in a bioreactor. “This process hydrolyses the cotton into
soluble glucose, while the non-biodegradable material (e.g. polyester) remains intact
and is separated as a solid form by filtration” (HKRITA 2018). The polyester is then
re-spun into yarn, whilst the glucose can be converted into bio-based products. This
process provides a successful fibre-to-fibre method and is commercially viable. As
such, used textiles discarded in landfills can be converted into new high- quality products, reducing the production of raw material whilst saving energy and resources.
Fabrics such as Climatex Lifecycle are biodegradable fibres (wool and ramie
blend), coloured with nonharmful chemicals and manufactured without releasing
carcinogens, persistent toxic chemicals, heavy metals or other toxic substances
(Fletcher 2014). For example, “Worn Again”, a project that by 2021 expects to
launch an industrial plant which aims to separate, “decontaminate and extract polyester polymers, and cellulose from cotton, from non-reusable textiles and PET bottles... turning them back into new textile raw materials as part of a continual cycle…
this is the first chemical recycling technology to be Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certified” (Worn Again 2018).
A review of recycling processes in the fashion industry suggests that clothing
must be well designed to ensure that products can turn into either biological nutrients or technical nutrients. When biodegradation is not possible and products need
to be reutilized or recycled for the production of new products, they are called technical nutrients. Furthermore, the aim must be to limit downcycling where possible,
as downcycled products cannot be recycled the second time the cycle is interrupted,
creating waste. The major challenge to turn textiles into biological nutrients is that
many natural fibres are blended with synthetic fibres, which cannot return safely to
the soil. In order to address this issue, the industry should align with sustainability
standards which ensure the completion of a full cycle.
Fashion textiles often have a mix of different fabrics, making them difficult to
recycle and as such contributing to its dumping as a waste material after use. As
Tierra points out, a t-shirt composed by 99% cotton and 1% of spandex could not be
recycled today and therefore would end up in a landfill or burnt in thermal power
station (Tierra 2017). Mono-materials or fabrics made only from one material could
solve the problem of recycling blended textiles. However, evidence shows that natural fibres (biodegradable) are blended with synthetics to improve quality, create
textures, colour effects, etc. (Fletcher 2014). Mixed materials are also essential in
labels, fasteners and elastic bands, etc. Production of yarn and synthetic manufacturing are also the most energy-consuming processes in the industry (Karthik and
Rathinamoorthy 2017). In addition, the dyeing process is a major water pollutant,
with 40% of globally used colourants containing carcinogens, making textile effluent one of the most significant causes of environmental degradation (Kant 2012).
Therefore, there is a need to reduce waste and convert it into a completely reusable system.
16 SDG 15 Life on Land
more susceptible to the subsequent hydrolysis. Enzymes, which are required for
hydrolysis, are produced through fungal cultivation; these fungi grow in the surface
of the fabric in 28 °C for 7 days. Aspergillus niger CKB is then recovered from the
hydrolysis, in which the enzyme solution is blended with the pretreatment textile
waste undergoing hydrolysis in a bioreactor. “This process hydrolyses the cotton into
soluble glucose, while the non-biodegradable material (e.g. polyester) remains intact
and is separated as a solid form by filtration” (HKRITA 2018). The polyester is then
re-spun into yarn, whilst the glucose can be converted into bio-based products. This
process provides a successful fibre-to-fibre method and is commercially viable. As
such, used textiles discarded in landfills can be converted into new high- quality products, reducing the production of raw material whilst saving energy and resources.
Fabrics such as Climatex Lifecycle are biodegradable fibres (wool and ramie
blend), coloured with nonharmful chemicals and manufactured without releasing
carcinogens, persistent toxic chemicals, heavy metals or other toxic substances
(Fletcher 2014). For example, “Worn Again”, a project that by 2021 expects to
launch an industrial plant which aims to separate, “decontaminate and extract polyester polymers, and cellulose from cotton, from non-reusable textiles and PET bottles... turning them back into new textile raw materials as part of a continual cycle…
this is the first chemical recycling technology to be Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certified” (Worn Again 2018).
A review of recycling processes in the fashion industry suggests that clothing
must be well designed to ensure that products can turn into either biological nutrients or technical nutrients. When biodegradation is not possible and products need
to be reutilized or recycled for the production of new products, they are called technical nutrients. Furthermore, the aim must be to limit downcycling where possible,
as downcycled products cannot be recycled the second time the cycle is interrupted,
creating waste. The major challenge to turn textiles into biological nutrients is that
many natural fibres are blended with synthetic fibres, which cannot return safely to
the soil. In order to address this issue, the industry should align with sustainability
standards which ensure the completion of a full cycle.
Fashion textiles often have a mix of different fabrics, making them difficult to
recycle and as such contributing to its dumping as a waste material after use. As
Tierra points out, a t-shirt composed by 99% cotton and 1% of spandex could not be
recycled today and therefore would end up in a landfill or burnt in thermal power
station (Tierra 2017). Mono-materials or fabrics made only from one material could
solve the problem of recycling blended textiles. However, evidence shows that natural fibres (biodegradable) are blended with synthetics to improve quality, create
textures, colour effects, etc. (Fletcher 2014). Mixed materials are also essential in
labels, fasteners and elastic bands, etc. Production of yarn and synthetic manufacturing are also the most energy-consuming processes in the industry (Karthik and
Rathinamoorthy 2017). In addition, the dyeing process is a major water pollutant,
with 40% of globally used colourants containing carcinogens, making textile effluent one of the most significant causes of environmental degradation (Kant 2012).
Therefore, there is a need to reduce waste and convert it into a completely reusable system.
16 SDG 15 Life on Land