It ain't fashion, if it ain't sustainable

Green Machine

Climate Action / Open Lab

5 September 2024

3 minutes

The Green Machine 2.0 is a technology that can separate post-consumer polyester and cotton blends through hydrothermal treatment, enabling much-needed recycling of blend textiles.

HKRITA, H&M Foundation Launch Open Lab to Focus on Climate Action and Industry Collaboration

Open Lab, a 20,000 sq ft facility, launched by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) and the H&M Foundation, is set to become a global hub for sustainable innovation, focusing on climate action and industry-wide collaboration to showcase solutions and ongoing research to enable industry to quickly adjust, iterate, pilot and scale faster.

Staff Writer

Textile Waste / Garment Sorting

16 February 2023

2 minutes

Looper aims to become a preferred feedstock provider to companies and innovators engaged in textile resale and recycling. Looper is starting its operations in Europe and aims to extend the highest use of approximately 40 million garments during 2023.

H&M Expands Horizons, Gets into Sorting and Collecting Used and Unwanted Textiles and Apparel

In yet another step towards sustainability, Looper Textile Co, a new standalone venture by H&M Group with German MNC Remondis, will now collect, sort and sell used and unwanted garments and textiles, thereby extending the highest use of valuable resources.

Staff Writer

Textile Recycling / Green Machine

17 October 2022

6 minutes

The Green Machine is licensed by HKRITA at cost price, meaning it only covers their costs with no extra margins. For H&M Foundation and HKRITA this open-source approach is key to reach maximum impact and to transform the fashion industry.

HKRITA’s Green Machine is Breakthrough that Recycling of Blended Textiles Needed, at Scale

The ITMF award that the Green Machine received in September is only the latest feather in its decorated cap. Developed by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), the Green Machine has been making waves since its launch in 2016. Katherine Chan, Director (Business Development) at HKRITA, talks about the challenges that had to be encountered, and the excitement that the Green Machine has generated.

Subir Ghosh

Interview

ITMF Awards / Green Machine

21 September 2022

2 minutes

Green Machine is a polyester and cellulose recycling system by hydrothermal treatment and dissolution treatment on cotton and polyester blends. Through decomposing cotton into cellulose powders, it enables the separation of the polyester fibres from the blends. The quality of the polyester fibres is maintained, permitting fibre-to-fibre recycling.

HKRITA Gets ITMF Award for Green Machine, Its 5th Award Since 2016 Launch

The Green Machine of the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) has won an ITMF Award for Sustainability and Innovation. Through separation of the blended textile, Green Machine recovers PET fibre for re-spinning, even as it converts cotton fibre into cellulosic powder for a number of uses.