Project description
Develop an industrial demonstrator that can recycle complex polyester-based textiles.
Background to the project
Due to their composition, less than 10% of used clothing is collected and reprocessed into new, reusable materials. Current thermomechanical and mechanical recycling methods are unable to recycle a certain number of textiles items. The development of new recycling technologies, particularly chemical, is therefore essential to enable greater circularity in order to meet a major challenge: recycling 350 kilotonnes of textiles per year by 2029 (ADEME forecasts).
Recyc’Elit has developed and patented a chemical recycling technology. It can selectively depolymerise the polyester present in textiles, even when it is mixed. The monomer (DMT) recovered in this way can be directly reused in the same way as a virgin petro-sourced material.
This process has proved its worth on a laboratory scale. Initial prospective studies show that this process could produce a competitive monomer. The Recyc’Elit process takes place at 55°C, at atmospheric pressure and in the presence of a non-specific catalyst that is entirely regenerable and free of rare earths. It could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 95% compared with landfilling.
- Name of the call for projects: FRANCE 2030 – ADEME – IMPROVED RECYCLABILITY, RECYCLING AND REINCORPORATION OF MATERIALS
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Market(s):
Sport/
Leisure, Fashion/
Clothing - Project leader: RECYC'ELIT
- Partner(s): RECYC'ELIT, De Dietrich, Axel’One et IFTH
- Budget: 3 193 048 €
- Year(s): 2023
