A major step toward circular textiles has been achieved as a semi-industrial facility in Japan successfully processed European textile waste into high-quality recycled polyester.
The demonstration was carried out by JEPLAN using the Rewind PET process developed in collaboration with Axens and IFP Energies nouvelles. The feedstock was prepared in France by Nouvelles Fibres Textile and Mapea.
The trial processed several tens of tonnes of polyester-rich post-consumer textile waste collected in France. The materials were converted into BHET, the base monomer used to produce new polyester fibers, yarns, and fabrics.
The facility has an annual processing capacity of around 1000 tonnes. According to the project partners, the test confirms that textile-to-textile recycling of PET can now operate under industrial conditions with consistent output quality.
This is significant for an industry where large-scale textile recycling remains limited despite rising waste volumes. The ability to convert post-consumer textiles back into raw materials creates a direct pathway for circular production.
The recycled polyester produced through this process is suitable for a wide range of applications. These include sportswear, home textiles such as curtains and upholstery, and selected premium textile segments. This indicates that recycled outputs can meet both performance and quality requirements.
The Rewind PET technology had already been commercialized for PET packaging, including food-grade applications. With this latest validation, its application now extends to textile waste, one of the most complex recycling streams due to mixed materials and contamination.
A key outcome of the project is enabling closed-loop polyester systems. Manufacturers can potentially replace fossil-based inputs with recycled monomers while continuing to use existing production infrastructure. This reduces the need for major capital changes across polyester value chains.
The partners have also confirmed that Axens holds exclusive global licensing rights for the technology. This opens opportunities for textile manufacturers and recyclers worldwide to establish local or regional textile-to-textile recycling systems.
Industry experts see this as a critical development. Textile waste is increasing globally, while less than 1 percent is currently recycled into new textiles. Technologies that can scale efficiently are essential to meet sustainability targets and regulatory pressure, especially in Europe.
Beyond waste reduction, the process can help lower dependence on virgin petrochemical resources. It also has the potential to reduce carbon emissions and stabilize raw material costs over time.
According to Quentin Debuisschert, the success of the demonstration highlights the robustness and reproducibility of the process under real operating conditions. He emphasized that combining science with scale-up engineering is key to making circular polyester commercially viable.
This development signals that textile-to-textile recycling is moving from concept to industrial reality. As brands and manufacturers accelerate sustainability commitments, scalable solutions like this will play a central role in reshaping the global polyester market.
Source: https://www.textiletoday.com.bd/