Three major recycling innovations were announced last week that could be transformational for retail in the long run.
Carbios PET bio-recycling ceremony
France-based Carbios, a biological technologies company aiming to reinvent the lifecycle of plastic and textiles, has celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for its PET bio-recycling plant.
Located in Longlaville in the Grand-Est region of France, the site promises an “industrial-scale solution” for the enzymatic depolymerisation of waste PET which is one of the most used plastics globally and mainly manufactured from oil.
The recycling site development means future PET can be made from its own waste in the future, with Carbios saying this opens up recycling streams for multilayered, coloured and opaque trays made from packaging waste, and polyester textile waste.
Christophe Béchu, minister for ecological transition & territorial cohesion, said: “At a time when governments are negotiating an international treaty against plastic pollution in Ottowa, the groundbreaking of Carbios’s biorecycling plant is particularly significant.
“It illustrates France’s commitment to the ecological transition, and demonstrates our ability to turn challenges into opportunities for a more sustainable future.”
Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of Carbios, added: “We have turned a vision into reality with the groundbreaking of the world’s first PET biorecycling plant.
“Our revolutionary enzymatic depolymerisation technology marks the beginning of a new era in plastic recycling, moving away from dependence on oil to a circular economy fuelled by PET waste itself. Carbios continues its mission by collaborating with strategic partners around the world and embarking on a promising commercial and international deployment.”
Carbios’s partner brands and industrial partners include L’Oréal Groupe, L’Occitane, Puma, Suntory Beverage & Food Europe, Salomon, On, Citeo, and Novonesis.
Polyester recycling plant opens in UK
A joint venture between Salvation Army Trading Company (SATCol) and textile to textile polyester recycler Project Plan B, known as ‘Project Re:claim’, has begun operations in Kettering, Northamptonshire, marking the opening of the first commercial-scale, post-consumer polyester recycling plant of its kind.
The plant will recycle post-consumer garments and other textiles, and supply the raw material back into the fashion and textiles industries.
SATCol said Project Re:claim opens up opportunities for textiles “to be designed for purpose, without any compromise to fashion, performance or the environment”. The charity’s trading arm has also set up the new technology at one of its processing centres.
Tim Cross, CEO of Project Plan B, commented: “Up until now, polyester that had no useful life left would have been disposed of.
“With this project, we can now save that waste and return it to supply chains. It’s a carbon saving, planet saving solution, and it plays a significant role in helping our collective journey to net zero.”
The machine produces polyester pellets from polyester waste, and it is on track to recycle 2,500 tonnes of unwanted polyester in 2024, with a further 5,000 tonnes in year two. The pellets can be spun into yarn for use in textiles along with other industrial applications, and they are expected to be integrated into the manufacturing processes of new products later this year.
Majonne Frost, head of environment & sustainability at SATCoL, remarked: “This partnership brings together the large-scale collection and processing capabilities of The Salvation Army, with the cutting-edge technology developed by Project Plan B and Pure Loop. Together we are working together to bring new solutions and services, at scale, that will help create a textile circular economy.”
The launch of Repurpose
Recomme – the circularity platform co-founded by ex-Asos sustainability boss Simon Platts and business partner Tom Grafton – has teamed up with ACS and The UK Fashion & Textile Association to launch ‘Repurpose’.
Described as a platform, processor, and innovation hub for apparel and footwear recovery, recycling, refurbishment, and reuse, Repurpose aims to be a “one-stop shop” for fashion’s switch to a more circular model.
Andrew Rough, CEO at ACS, said: “Our collaboration marks a pivotal moment in the industry’s journey towards sustainability.
“Through Repurpose, we aim to establish a seamless ecosystem where brands, retailers, and innovators come together to accelerate to a truly circular economy. At ACS we operate the largest circular fashion hub in Europe and by partnering with the award-winning Recomme technology platform we are able to offer a one stop shop.”
Repurpose wants to establish itself as the go-to solution for the UK apparel and footwear industry, offering efficient and effective connections with leading repurposing providers. It also wants to serve as a hub for innovation, ensuring access to the latest technologies and processors.
It will also invest in new technologies and end-processors to fuel further innovation with the ambition of driving the UK fashion industry forward in this space.
“We believe that collaboration is key to driving meaningful change,” explained Grafton.
“Our goal is to leverage our technology and embrace innovation to accelerate and scale the UK’s transition towards a more circular future. By bringing together our expertise and resources, we are making circular infrastructure accessible – both commercially and logistically, which we know is one of the key hurdles to many presently.”
He added: “We look forward to working with retailers and brands of all sizes, from bricks and mortar to ecommerce on achieving their sustainability goals and moving the industry forwards.”
[Image credit: SATCol/Project Re:claim]
