Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1518432
include the cost of sorting, cleaning, and processing waste plastics, as well as the quality and grade of plastics in relation to newer, stronger plastics. e partnership with KIF, while informal, keeps URI's Lab busy testing materials and sharing ideas. A goal is to find applications for various types of recycled plastic waste. Ciesielska-Wrobel explains, "When Robert brings me samples, we test them, see what's wrong, what wasn't successful, and what works! It's a hands-on collaboration between us. To answer the key question of which types of ocean plastic wastes are suitable for textiles, I rely on our new micro- compounder with an extrusion line." URI's micro-compounder allows mixing different polymer formulations in the melt on a small scale. e extrusion process pushes the polymer through a small hole, which creates a filament with a circular, fixed cross-section profile. e URI textile lab also has a power washer for cleaning and examining textile waste, and a Stoll flat knitting machine. e power washer can collect enough residual filth for melting, spinning, and processing the plastic in the micro-compounder. "I can even examine the surface dirt and marine organisms on the plastic waste," Ciesielska-Wrobel says. Looking Forward URI's partnership with KIF hopes to ad- vance further study in addition to creating something that can be produced on a larger scale. Torgerson notes, "With Izabela, I'd like to teach URI students about polymers and plastics, along with recycled materials, sustainability, and the circular economy. It's a great opportunity for kids to learn about this technology." URI's textile program mainly involves the conversion of different raw material wastes into filaments for textiles and artistic instal- lations that URI students can use in their designs. However, Ciesielska-Wrobel wants to do more. She states, "I prefer not to call textile waste, 'trash', but rather to refer to it as a 'new raw material'." Going forward, Ciesielska-Wrobel will join the Main Debris project run by Prof. Hirotsugu Uchida from the College of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics at URI, where she will have an opportunity to work with Prof. Vinka Oyanedel-Craver from the College of Engineering on using textile wastes to make bricks for construction. While these projects hold significant potential and may be transformative, many full-scale programs hinge on a broader messaging for upcycling, recy- cling, and converting a variety of materials. n Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation textileinsight.com Spring 2024 ~ Textile Insight • 49 Educate and encourage students at all levels; outreach & promote career paths in the industry; and, serve as a catalyst for future innovation. Build a community to re-energize the textile industry for the future, help find and inspire the next generation of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Contact: Tom Swantko, Director toms@thetextilegateway.com Connecting the Industry to Students Support LEARN MORE AND HOW YOU CAN HELP MISSION TTG-TI-2024-1_Layout 1 3/15/24 2:24 PM Page 1