German startp RITTEC has started recycling textiles containing polyester and creating new textiles from the material itself. RITTEC has succeeded in breaking down the polyester-cotton mixture from worn workwear into the basic chemicals for the production of new polyester.
- From these basic chemicals, the Thuringian Institute for Textiles and Plastics (TITK) has produced new polyester yarn and, finally, new textiles.
- The production of the basic chemicals for PET production from textile waste reduces CO2 emissions by over 60% compared to production from fossil raw materials.
- The technology that RITTEC is using has been named revolPET.
The Backdrop: Polyester is the most used material in the textiles industry. More than 60% of all textiles produced are made of or contain polyester.
- A total of 2.25 million tonnes of polyester textiles are put on the market in Europe every year, divided between pure polyester garments or blended fabrics.
- Today, there are only few high-quality recycling options for this quantity.
- The revolPET technology, which was technically further developed for the DiTex project, piloted the recycling of workwear containing polyester with the aim of increasing resource efficiency in the textiles sector.
The Technology: RITTEC's revolPET technology is a continuous process for the recycling of polyester.
- The selective decomposition of polyester into its basic building blocks is realised for over 95% and at less than 160°C.
- The ecologically and economically efficient process eliminates impurities and produces pure chemicals that are used in the production of new polyester fibres.
- These fibres have the same quality as virgin material.
- Other textile components such as cellulose, e.g. from cotton, are separated and fed into their own recycling channels.
- Thus, RITTEC reduces its dependence on fossil raw materials.
- Textile waste, therefore, becomes a source of raw materials for new clothing.
- The process secures raw materials and can significantly reduce the ecological footprint of textiles.
The Impact: The production of the basic chemicals for PET production from textile waste reduces CO2 emissions by about 60% compared to production from fossil raw materials.
- This is achieved through intensive process-integrated energy recovery in the revolPET process.
- The continuous mode of operation ensures that released reaction energy is absorbed directly.
- Thus, the energy supply remains limited to the operation of the aggregates.
Usage of Digital Product Passport (DPP): The project uses the circularity.ID from circular.fashion as a digital product passport essential for data flow and networked cycle management
- Innovation company circular.fashion launched circularity.ID in 2018, which was also used as a DPP in the DiTex project funded by the BMBF.
What They Said:
This is a great breakthrough for us and the textile industry. In the future, we can save huge amounts of fossil raw materials, energy and avoid waste. We are currently working with partners from the textile industry and the recycling industry to apply our technology on an industrial scale.
— Carsten Eichert
Managing Partner
RITTEC
We were the first company in the world to develop ID-based sorting stations and install them at pioneers in the sorting of used textiles. This way, products can be scanned with circularity.ID and assigned to suitable recycling channels, such as RITTEC's innovation.
— Ina Budde
Managing Director
circular.fashion
