A new approach of technical textile recycling is developed at ITA within the project ‘Development of a Process for Recycling of Blended Fabrics’ (PolyCotton) to address challenges in environmental protection. Each year 14-16 mio tons of PET/cotton blended fabrics are generated as wastes by the fast moving fashion industry. PET is made of fossil resources and for each kilogramme of cotton, around 10,000 litres of water is needed.

The project aims to generate staple fibre yarns of fully recycled PET staple fibres. The materials used are fabrics of blended cotton and PET staple fibre yarns. First, the cotton is removed and subsequently the PET staple fibres are opened by carding. Larger fabric/yarn remains are removed from the opened fibre material. Then recycled PET fibres are blended with virgin cotton fibres in a 50/50 ratio to identify appropriate parameters for rotor spinning. Thereafter, the PET amount is increased up to 100%.

Laboratory tests are carried out (tensile, hairiness, evenness). The new PET yarn is dyed and further processed into a knitted demonstrator (see figure). The demonstrator is evaluated with a fabric of virgin PET staple fibre yarns. The possible end applications include apparel, work wear or home technical textiles.

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