Denmark, Bjerringbro, August 2024. A revolutionary completely automated textile waste sorting system is introduced by NewRetex. The Danish business is among the first in the world to classify waste textiles based on material type, composition, color, and structure using near-infrared (NIR) sensors, cameras, and machine learning. With an integrated data gathering and traceability system on all processed material, the automated and thorough sorting constantly strives to turn waste into useful resources.In order to keep even more textiles in circulation throughout Europe, NewRetex is creating a novel market for the recycling of textiles that complies with the new laws governing the collection of post-consumer textile waste in Europe. It is currently prepared for potential partnerships and collaborations to license and sell the fully automated sorting system outside of its own operations.
“The massive amounts of textile waste that face all of Europe can be sorted thanks to our sorting system, which also ensures recycling options. Clothing may be transformed back into clothing in this way, according to Betina Theilgaard Lauridsen, Circular Product Developer at NewRetex.
What’s the issue?
In terms of raw material and water use, the textile sector is currently the fifth highest emitter of CO2 in the world. With their completely automated textile waste sorting system, NewRetex is addressing this pressing environmental catastrophe. This is due to the fact that fewer than 1% of clothing produced globally is still recycled into new garments; the raw materials are thrown away instead. But textiles need to be carefully picked based on quality, color, and material composition for the intricate fiber-to-fibre recycling process. Reusing textile waste to create new yarns for clothing production is the only method available. Ultimately, distinct fibers necessitate distinct recycling procedures. Thus, the primary barrier to a closed cycle is accurate sorting.
With the help of its innovative, fully automated textile waste sorting system, NewRetex has successfully surmounted this challenge. Up until recently, the business has faced unique difficulties when it comes to material sorting. This is because, up until now, sorting textile waste has been challenging due to care labels that provide information on the material composition being imprecise and the material composition being difficult to categorize with the human eye. NewRetex’s fully automated sorting system, which uses cameras and near-infrared sensors (NIR), has solved this industry-wide issue.
How does it operate?
Municipalities, clothing firms, workwear manufacturers, and other entities send their used textiles to NewRetex, which sorts and processes them. The NewRetex automatic sorting system then uses cutting-edge technology that combines near-infrared (NIR) sensors and cameras, respectively, to assure effective and documented sorting according to material type, material composition, color, and structure. Because machine learning is used for recycling, the classification of textiles is adaptable and can be customized to meet specific needs.
With a main sorting line, the current expanded factory can handle 200 tonnes of textile waste per month and has been operational since October 2023. It is appropriate for a broad spectrum of clients from municipalities, textile and apparel manufacturers, and businesses in the spinning, yarn, etc. sectors. It is scalable based on the input volume.
The benefits of completely automated and meticulous textile waste sorting for a circular economy are exemplified by NewRetex: The business has been successful in creating recycled fibers from the post-consumer textile waste that is sorted at the factory, as well as yarns that can be used to make new clothing. 70% of the input textile waste, according to NewRetex, should be used in the future to create new fibers. The other 30% can either be used to produce synthetic gas or integrated into the open recycling loop. This is consistent with the company’s overarching concept, which is to reduce waste and encourage circularity in textile recycling in order to have a good environmental impact.
