Circle Economy launches Fibersort technology

19 Feb '18

2 min read

Circle Economy, the Netherlands-based social enterprise, has launched Fibersort, a technology able to automatically sort large volumes of mixed post-consumer textiles based on fibre composition. These materials are perfectly suited to become inputs for textile recycling, and its commercialisation will bring closed-loop textiles a step closer to reality.

The Fibresort project partners Valvan Baling Systems, Reshare, Procotex, Worn Again, and Smart Fibersorting are working with industry stakeholders to better understand end-markets for sorted textiles, optimise the machine and validate the business case.

"The Fibersort machine offers a breakthrough that allows us to close the loop in textiles. The project partners have shown dedication and idealism and show that through chain collaboration a lot can be achieved. I am convinced that the Fibersort machine will bring the textiles industry big steps closer towards a closed looped system," said Simon Smedinga, operational director of Salvation Army ReShare.

"The Fibersort technology is uniquely positioned to deliver two things. First, it reduces the need for virgin textile materials by providing feedstock more efficiently for textile-to-textile recycling. This will alleviate the environmental pressure of producing virgin materials. Second, it creates additional market value and business opportunities by making it economically feasible to sort textile excess (waste)," Circular economy said in a press release.

"The Fibersort will enable suppliers of post-consumer textiles to meet the feedstock specification for our process more efficiently than today’s sorting methods. The first results of the Fibersort are looking very promising. We are very optimistic that this innovation will help to provide advanced sorting capabilities for the new generation of textile to textile recycling technologies like ours and help the industry on its way to circularity," said Cyndi Rhoades CEO of high-value recycler Worn Again. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

More Textiles News - Netherlands...