Textile Recycling EXcellence
Updated on 12.04.2023
The T-REX Project will collect and sort household textile waste and demonstrate the full recycling process of polyester, polyamide 6, and cellulosic materials from textile waste into new garments. By involving major players across the whole value chain, the project aims to demonstrate a new ecosystem approach, with harmonised methods and quality criteria.
More information
The global consumption of textiles is increasing, with global production of the two most relevant fibres, cotton and polyester, expected to grow by 40 % before 2023. There is also no EU-wide plan on how to deal with the existing and anticipated textile waste – currently less than 1 % of the material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing in a closed-loop process, while 87 % is landfilled or incinerated. By January 2025 the new EU Directive 2018/851 will require all Member States to establish a separate household textile waste collection and respect increasing minimum recycling goals, but the pure legislative approach cannot alone solve the growing textile waste problem.
Based on estimates from experts, we see that 1 % of textile waste entering closed loops leads to € 100 billion market loss each year. If a 30 % recycling rate is reached (similar to average plastic packaging recycling rates), the project estimates that it will be able to valorise a € 30-billion-year market. The project aims to demonstrate sustainable and economically feasible business models for each actor along the value chain, conduct lifecycle analysis of the circular process, integrate digital tools that streamline the process of closed-loop textile recycling, and produce circular design guidelines.
Relevance for Circular Systemic Solutions
The T-REX project can lead to a better understanding of the current textile waste and therefore better upcycling rates into new garments.
The project also intends to demonstrate that such products can appeal to consumers while at the same time be designed for further recycling.
The project is relevant for cities and regions working on a Circular Systemic Solution related to textiles due to its systemic approach, which involves actors across the value chain including consumers, considering technical and socio-economic aspects, testing upcycling approaches and identifying impacts of novel approaches.
Horizon programme(s) and/or topic(s)
Programme:
- HORIZON.2.6 - Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Topic:
- HORIZON-CL6-2021-CIRCBIO-01-04 - Increasing the circularity in textiles, plastics and/or electronics value chains
Responsible organisation and contact details
ADIDAS AG
Contact the project
Project consortium partners
- Veolia Environnement-Ve
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg
- Cure Technology BV
- BASF SE; Infinited Fiber Company OY
- Twd Fibres Gmbh
- Linz Textil Gesellschaft MbH
- Aalto Korkeakoulusaatio SR
- Fashion for Good BV
- Arapaha BV
CEAP2 key product value chain
e.g. electrical engineering, furniture and interior, textile and fashion
e.g. B2B services
e.g. healthcare
large 500 000-200 000, medium 200 000-50 000, and small cities 50 000-5 000
large metropolitan area >1.5 million, metropolitan area 1.5 million-500 000
e.g. commercial, residential, service, industrial
