Towards a more data and image-driven recycling future
Recycling mixed textile waste is a critical challenge for the textile industry, and with growing demand for circular economy solutions, the need to deal with polyester/cotton blends, using two of the most common textile fibres, has become especially urgent.
Through innovative recycling strategies, PESCO-UP aims to reshape the way we recycle these fibres. One first step was to propose minimum data requirements for the recycling value chain. TEXroad, VTT, Reverse Resources and other project partners worked on these requirements for imaging and data technologies to help enable a more efficient and transparent circular value chain.
The power of data in textile recycling
Data collection and exchange play a critical role throughout the recycling process. From the sorting of mixed textiles to the final recycling stages, the smooth and accurate flow of data is vital to creating a system that is not only efficient but also economically viable and transparent. PESCO-UP and other European initiatives have stressed the need for standardised data and secure, validated exchanges of information to make this vision a reality.
One of the crucial pieces of the solution is the Digital Materials Passport (DMP), a concept already used in other sectors and introduced by the PESCO-UP project to handle data specifically for textile recycling. The DMP includes comprehensive minimum data requirements for the textile recycling chain, tracking activities carried out, material specifications, quantities and chain-of-custody data, ensuring that every batch of textiles (whether it be unsorted post-consumer waste, clipping leftovers, or recycled fibre) is accompanied by detailed, accurate information. This level of transparency is critical to ensure that all actors in the recycling phase have the information they need to get the maximum value out of the textile that is recycled, and to establish trust in the system and ensure the traceability of recycled materials.
The DMP extends the concept of the Digital Product Passport (DPP), expected to be a regulatory requirement by 2027, to cover the information need of recycling processes. The DPP will demand that all products, including recycled textiles, carry accessible information about their composition and origins, ensuring that recycled content and traceability data will be readily available to all stakeholders.
Hyperspectral imaging unlocking the secrets of textiles
Another technological aspect explored in the PESCO-Up project is hyperspectral imaging, a cutting-edge technique used to determine the properties of fibres in polyester-cotton (PES/CO) textiles. Hyperspectral imaging allows researchers to analyse how various recycling processes affect cotton and polyester fibres. This information is invaluable for optimising recycling methods and improving the quality of recycled materials.
However, initial findings from the project point out that no one-size-fits-all approach exists when it comes to this technology. Different algorithms are required to handle different types of data and classification tasks. Selecting the right models for hyperspectral imaging is essential to ensure accurate and reliable results, which in turn supports the project's broader recycling goals.
Textile recycling marketplaces driving circularity
Textile recycling marketplaces are another critical component in achieving a circular textile industry. These platforms must go beyond merely connecting buyers and sellers. They must function as connectors and change-agents, facilitating the continuous circulation of textile resources and promoting long-term sustainability.
Unlike linear marketplaces, which focus on one-time transactions of new products, circular marketplaces are designed to support the reuse, refurbishment, and recycling of textile materials. They should ensure that materials are reintroduced into the supply chain multiple times, prioritising resource efficiency over short-term profits. Circular marketplaces also depend heavily on data-driven decision-making, which include factors like material availability, recycling capacity to ensure that resources are used sustainably.
The value proposition of these platforms lies in their ability to provide increased visibility, enhanced traceability, and data-driven insights that improve efficiency across the value chain. By integrating clear material specifications and real-time data, circular marketplaces would help facilitate the smooth flow of recycled materials between suppliers and buyers.
For PESCO-UP, textile recycling marketplaces also play a crucial role in matching supply and demand according to the waste hierarchy and facilitating circular data exchanges.
The future of textile recycling depends on the integration of advanced technologies like data management tools and hyperspectral imaging, combined with circular marketplaces that ensure the smooth and sustainable flow of materials. PESCO-UP aims to ensure that as textiles move through the value chain, they carry with them essential digital information about their origins, the activities performed at each stage, and their potential for future reuse. By fostering a transparent, data-driven ecosystem, PESCO-UP is not only improving the economic viability of textile recycling but also helping the industry transition to a circular future where waste becomes a resource.
