a u t h o r Kirstin Linnenkoper
42
Textiles pioneers know the
time to innovate is now
More than 100 million tonnes of textile fibres are produced worldwide
every year but only a very small fraction is recycled. the good news is
that the recycling sector is as dynamic as the fashion industry.
is very wasteful and costly to manage.
As such, offcuts rarely reach the recy-
cling plant. ‘We can no longer sweep
bad disposal practices it under the
rug,’ says Cenga, who runs the start-
up’s R&D department.
Moreover, existing solutions tend to
convert textile scrap into low-grade
products such as insulation and car-
peting. ‘We are the first South African
company recycling 100% textile waste
into a quality fabric good enough to
make clothes,’ Cenga adds.
At the same time, landfill fees in
developing countries are increasing,
meaning producers have to find differ-
ent ways to dispose of their material.
That’s where Cenga and her partners,
Lonwabo Mgoduso and Tshepo
Bhengu, come in.
They recycle production waste into a
jersey fabric suitable for T-shirts,
sweaters, hoodies and leggings. The
textiles are described as a fibre blend
Up to 95% of used textiles and cloth-
ing can be reused or recycled – but
the global recycling rate struggled to
hit 5%. Around 92 million tonnes of
global textile waste is landfilled every
year, according to the UN. Its experts
believe this waste could increase by
as much as 60% over the next decade,
a real challenge for the fashion indus-
try.
Of the estimated 53 million tonnes of
clothing manufactured each year, the
Ellen MacArthur Foundation calculates
that nearly 75% ends up in landfills or
is incinerated. Less than 15% of the
material is downcycled while another
12% is lost in the production process.
Reviving AfRicA’s offcuts
‘Around 60 billion metres of fabric
ends up as textile waste on the cut-
ting room floor every year,’ estimates
Esethu Cenga, co-founder of The
ReWoven Co in South Africa. The bot-
tom line is clear: clothing production
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