RE:Spin A new technology to expand recycling of cellulosic textile fibers

Purpose and goal:

The main result expected from the project is a new technology for textile recycling where waste textiles are directly respinned into new fibers with similar characteristics than the starting material. The increase in TRL focuses on validating the whole technology (dissolution + spinning) at laboratory scale through (mainly) experimental activities. The increase in MRL focuses on validating the scalability and market potential of the proposed technology already from an early stage. Finally, a life cycle perspective is included in the project to increase the SRL perspective.

Expected results and effects:

The proposed technology opens the possibility to recycle low molecular weight fibers, such as man-made cellulose fibers, as well as increase the number of times that high molecular weight fibers, such as cotton, can be recycled. In turn, this implies that cellulose-based fibers could be utilized to a larger extent without increasing consumption of natural resources and therefore it creates the opportunity to replace fossil-based fibers by cellulose-based fibers to a larger extent, which would reduce the enviromental impact of the fashion industry.

Approach and implementation:

The project consists of 6 work packages (WP). ShareTex is responsible for WP6 Project management and WP4 Market perspective and scalability, although it is expected much input from H&M and Valmet in this WP. The division of Materials and Production at RISE is responsible for WP2 Development and optimization of spinning method while their LCA team is responsible for WP5 Life cycle perspective.

Lund University is responsible for WP1 Raw materials and dissolution of blended fibers and Valmet is responsible for WP3 Reactor design and mixing in the dissolution step.