5s3: The potential of mechanical recycling for post-consumer textile

Abstract

Currently, the amount of post-consumer textile waste is growing. Unfortunately, the European recycling infrastructure is lacking, preventing efficient recycling operations. It is still difficult to set up production lines of high-quality products with shredded textile waste fibres, yet the demand for these products is rising. The goal of this study was to find out how the mechanical recycling process for mixed post-consumer textile waste garments could be improved and integrated into circular supply chains. A literature study, semi-structured interviews and a multi-criteria analysis on Manufacture Readiness Levels were conducted to investigate the several challenges and production opportunities for recycled textile waste fibres from a technical, logistical and economic point of view. Thereafter, a roadmap for future mechanical recycling was established.