TEXTILES.ORG
Sympatex Technologies believes recycled functional textiles from old PET bottles can soon be a thing of the past, a recent press release says. As soon as 2020, the company is slated to offer its first laminates made from used textile materials acquired through a circular economy. The greater goal is to have, within the next five years, at least half of the raw materials necessary for its functional laminates originating from a circular textile supply chain, to be fully recyclable again and 100 percent circular by 2030.
The company is optimistic about reaching that goal due to an investment in the Pioneer Members’ Program of Worn Again Technologies. The company’s technology is predicted to help overcome one of the biggest hurdles: the need for mono-material in used textiles for recycling. Worn Again’s polymer recycling technology could expand the radius of used textiles suitable for upcycling to include textile combinations from polyester and renewable fibers, the company says.
The latest advancements are a continuation of the Sympatex Agenda 2020, announced in 2017, that committed the company to closing the textile loop for functional materials as quickly as possible.
“Each year, mountains of clothing end up in garbage landfills, or they are incinerated, even using open fires in many countries. For us, putting an end to this unacceptable environmental burden caused by our industry is more than just a moral commitment. We see in it an abundance of raw material sources that can be utilized in the future, thanks also to our technology partners. . .,” said Dr. Rüdiger Fox, CEO of Sympatex Technologies. “Now is the time to think big and focus our energies on making our industry one of the first on the planet to actually transform full sustainability into reality.”
Together with selected partners, Sympatex Technologies develops, produces and distributes membranes, laminates and functional textiles as well as finished products worldwide. Worn Again Technologies was founded in East London in 2005, with a vision to enable the circularity of raw materials.