Textile Insight

22 • Textile Insight ~ Spring 2025 textileinsight.com of PET due to durability reasons," the exec commented. Unless a brand has its own closed-loop system or circular system where they are manually pre-processing items (see sidebar: e North Face), removing these zippers for reuse is not really happening. La Plante is currently working with companies that develop the processing equipment for garment sorting and de-trimming to create identification systems that would identify certain zippers as recyclable. When it comes to collecting and sorting in the U.S., "we are in the dark ages," said La Plante. ere is a need to create financial incentives around recycling. "No one is talking about the economics, but that's really the big issue to address," the exec noted. e outcome will always be that the goods coming out of this process will be more expensive than virgin materials. It's a difficult economic proposal that will come down to how much value the apparel industry puts on saving the planet. n A ccording to SMART (Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association) 95% of all used clothing is recyclable, with 5% is unusable due to mildew or other contamination. SMART represents small and medium-sized companies dedicated to the recycling of pre-and post-consumer textiles. Many of its members operate collection bins to gather used textiles, which are transformed into products like wiping cloths, insulation and clothing exported to developing countries. As education for its members, the recycling process is described as such: Collectors take used clothing and other household textiles from the general public, plus industrial laundries, healthcare institutions, hotels and clothing manufacturers. Collectors bale and sell these garments/textiles in their current condition to graders. Graders sort the items (assigning each a grade) and re-sell that product. Processors sort, grade and reprocess used clothing during the recycling process. At sorting facilities, items are then made into large bales to be re-sold, mostly overseas. Textile processors also collect items from industrial laundries that are deemed to be unfit to be used by the laundry's clients. They are made into wiping cloths. Processors sort, grade and reprocess used clothing during the recycling process. At sorting facilities, items are then made into large bales to be re-sold, mostly overseas. Some companies re-process used clothing back into their original fiber. They create blends of fiber that are sold in bales to companies that make new products like home insulation or stuffing for furniture. Distributors (or brokers) facilitate the transactions between collector companies, grader companies and buyers. The clients of brokers are often in developing countries. n HOW ARE TEXTILES CURRENTLY RECYCLED? Reju Regeneration Hub Zero in Frankfurt, Germany.

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