Chemical company Avantium and the University of Amsterdam at Amsterdam Science Park, have developed an innovative technology to fully recycle polycotton textile waste. The method, published in Nature Communications, uses a patented process with hydrochloric acid to break down cotton into glucose while leaving polyester intact for reuse.
This breakthrough offers a sustainable solution to the growing textile waste problem and supports the transition to a circular economy. The technology is being tested at Avantium’s Dawn Technology™ pilot plant in Delfzijl and has the potential for large-scale application. With global textile production expected to reach 149 million tons by 2030 and current recycling rates below 1%, this innovation could play a crucial role in making the textile industry more sustainable.
Gert-Jan Gruter, Chief Technology Officer at Avantium, highlights the significance of this development: “We are excited about this groundbreaking solution, which not only provides feedstock for our own FDCA and PEF technology but also marks a crucial advancement towards achieving a circular economy. At Avantium, we are committed to perfecting this technology in collaboration with partners and broadening its application to address the global textile waste problem.”
This project is a collaboration between Avantium and the Industrial Sustainable Chemistry group at the UvA, with PhD students working in Avantium’s laboratories to help develop and refine the technology.
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