Mechanical recycling of textiles

Mechanical textile recycling is a process in which textiles are recycled by mechanically processing the material. Mechanically recycled textiles are primarily used for insulation, soundproofing, furniture padding, and industrial textiles. When blended with new fibers, they can also be used in clothing and accessories.

Material Preparation

During this phase, any trims that may disrupt the recycling process, such as zippers, buttons, and prints, are removed by hand. The sample material is then cut into smaller pieces in a cutting machine.

Fiberization

In the next step, the cut material is mechanically torn to separate the fibers in our tearing machine.

This machine has four rollers that gradually break down the textiles; the first roller performs a coarse opening, while the following three rollers provide progressively finer opening and more separated fibers. Each roller is equipped with teeth that tear apart the material.

The machine is manually fed, allowing control of the feed based on the material’s properties and the desired result. The material can pass through the machine multiple times to achieve a specific fiber structure. The machine is designed to handle material amounts ranging from approximately 500 grams up to 50 kg.

Measurement of Fiber Length

After tearing, the fiber length can be measured. The measurement is performed using optical analysis according to ISO 4913. This method determines the average length and length distribution of fibers and provides statistical data such as mean length (mm) and the proportion of short fibers <12.7mm (%).

What we offer

RISE offers support throughout the entire recycling process, from the preparation of textiles to shredding and characterization of the mechanically recycled fibers using our proven processes.

We have extensive experience working with a wide range of materials, including:

Natural fibers such as cotton and wool
Synthetic fibers such as polyester and polyamide
Special materials such as leather and technical textiles

The shredding process can be tailored to your specific needs, enabling the recycling of materials for new applications, such as melt processing or composite manufacturing.

As a client, you also have the opportunity to visit our facility and observe the shredding process in action – a valuable chance to gain insight into how your materials are repurposed.

Would you like to learn more about how we can assist you with textile recycling? Contact us today!