No water in innovative textile researching process

Researchers in Singapore have devised a novel waterless chemical recycling method for separating cotton and polyester in textiles.

Their technology is seen as offering a way of transforming the current recycling rate for post-consumer textiles of just 1%.

The process, set out in the journal ‘Resources, Conservation and Recycling’, uses a ‘polar aprotic’ solvent as a reaction medium with ethylene glycol or glycerol as agents to partially break down polyester, leaving the cotton intact.

Polyester-derived oligomers, dyes and pigments remain in the solvent, allowing cotton to be recovered clean, free of residual colourants, minimising downstream processing.

Compatibility

The recovered cotton can then be blended with kraft pulp and spun into viscose fibres, demonstrating compatibility with existing textile production.

According to the researchers: ‘This scalable, resource-efficient approach enables simultaneous cotton reuse, polyester oligomers upcycling without purification, and solvent recovery – offering a practical route to reduce virgin cotton use and environmental impact while advancing textile circularity.’

Cotton, a natural fibre, currently makes up 22 % of global fibre production. However, its cultivation is resource-intensive, consuming vast amounts of water and agricultural land.

For example, it has been estimated that cotton production accounted for approximately 84 % of the cumulative water footprint of the UK textile industry in 2022.

Output doubles

Polycotton is an interwoven blend of polyester and cotton widely used in apparel and home furnishings. It is difficult to recycle due to the blending of its components and most polycotton waste is incinerated or landfilled.

Fibre production for the global textile industry has doubled from 58 million tonnes in 2000 to 116 million tonnes in 2022. The total is projected to reach 147 million tonnes by 2030.