According to the Finnish VTT Technology Research Center, the dissolution of waste textiles provides an opportunity to return large amounts of waste to textile production. The new technology can recycle cellulose fiber textiles, which not only breaks through the limitations of landfill treatment, but also helps to promote the effective use of materials.

The directive adopted by the European Union in 1999 contained a gradual restriction on the amount of degradable waste that was deposited in landfills, and the EU countries must decide on the future disposal of textile waste. Finland has issued regulations to terminate the filling of textile waste and will take effect on January 1, 2016.

For the treatment of textile waste, Finland is actively studying new industrial solutions. According to a report by the VTT Technical Research Center, fabrics that are as good as the original or better than the original can be obtained by dissolving the worn or even stained textiles.

While textile re-use and mechanical recycling methods reduce the environmental burden, bulk textiles containing materials that are in poor condition or have severe stains limit opportunities for recycling. The new method increases the possibility of textile waste utilization, said Professor Ali Harling of the VTT Technology Research Center in Finland.

Recycling system recycling

For products with higher value, textile recycling saves raw materials. The premise of functional recycling is a system for efficient recycling of textiles for environmental reasons. “It’s important to consider recycling in the early stages, at least in the planning stage,” said Anna-Kaisa Auvinen, managing director of the Finnish Textile and Apparel Industry Federation (Finatex).

Anna said: “When the textile and garment industry, consumers and other stakeholders work together to build a voluntary, practical circulatory system, the best results will be achieved. We have convened a solution to the recycling of textiles for Finland. Key personnel with common will in the program."

Waste turned into recycled fiber

VTT, Aalto University and Tampere University of Technology collaborated on the development of new recycled textile fibers in the “Cellulose Design World” project (a major technology development project of Tekes, the Finnish National Agency for Technological Innovation).

At present, scientists are working on methods to separate cellulose molecules from waste textiles such as cotton with efficient and environmentally friendly solvents. There are several ways to dissolve cellulose, which have made remarkable developments in the past 10 years, one of which is the Aoncell-F method of Aalto University, which uses the ionic form developed with the University of Helsinki. Solvent. VTT's role in the project included the cleaning of bulk textiles and the preparation of suitable forms of cellulose for the application of solvents, while Aalto University was responsible for the development of the spinning process.