Austrian engineering firm Andritz has secured a pivotal order from U.S.-based textile recycling innovator Circ, advancing preparations for Circ’s first large-scale textile recycling plant. The facility, a breakthrough in sustainable fashion, will be the first of its kind capable of recovering both cotton and polyester from blended textile waste.

Source: RecyclingPortal

Blended fabrics, particularly polyester-cotton blends, dominate fashion waste and have long posed a challenge to achieving greater circularity. The key obstacle has been the separation of cellulosic (cotton) and synthetic (polyester) fibres from textile waste. Circ’s groundbreaking technology overcomes this by breaking down polycotton waste into its original components. The cotton will be recycled for lyocell production, while the polyester will be reused for producing new polyester, significantly reducing reliance on virgin raw materials.

We remain excited about this continued collaboration with Andritz. Together, we will commercialize Circ’s innovative recycling process and take another step towards a truly circular fashion industry. With its expertise in engineering and building large-scale process equipment, Andritz is the right partner to help us transform textile waste into recycled fibers on an industrial level.

The new facility is expected to process 200 tons of textile waste daily, marking a significant step towards reducing the fashion industry's environmental footprint. By enabling the recycling of both key components, the plant will help lessen the demand for petroleum-based and natural raw materials.

Andritz and Circ have collaborated for several years, conducting trials at the Andritz Fiber R&D Center in Springfield, Ohio. These successful trials have cemented their partnership and catalysed the development of this large-scale plant. Andritz brings a wealth of expertise in advanced recycling technologies, while Circ’s mission centres on building a circular economy for the fashion industry, transforming waste into reusable raw materials and reducing environmental costs.

We are eager to support Circ in their vision of circularity because the technology they have developed is uniquely suited to solve one of the biggest challenges in fashion waste and recycling. With our holistic knowledge in resizing, mechanical separation, hydrothermal processing, recovery of cellulosic pulp as well as pulp cleaning and pulp drying, we have the right expertise to help them achieve their goals. Our experience in process development and machinery will help bring their innovative recycling technology to life.

This partnership highlights a significant leap forward for sustainable fashion, tackling the challenge of blended fabric waste and promoting a closed-loop economy.