KEY MESSAGE
Make the Label Count advocates for fair and science-based fibre assessment. Ironically, current EU sustainability methodologies do not yet meet this standard. Significant methodological gaps lead to unbalanced results that increasingly affect market access and competitiveness. Corrective action is urgently needed.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
The Bremen Cotton Exchange (Bremer Baumwollbörse) is an international cotton industry organization based in Bremen, Germany. Founded in 1872, it was established to represent and strengthen the interests of the cotton trade and cotton processing industry.
Its main functions include developing and maintaining trading rules and cotton standards for the international cotton market. Providing arbitration and dispute resolution services for cotton trade contracts. Promoting cotton quality testing, classing, and industry best practices.
Serving as a neutral and authoritative centre of expertise for the global cotton sector.
The organization has represented members from Germany, Europe, and overseas for more than 150 years and has played an important role in shaping global cotton trade through its competence, neutrality, and authority. We have joined MTLC in 2022.

KEY MESSAGE
tbc

ABSTRACT CONTENT
In times of major change, the man-made cellulosic fiber industry is transforming. New market conditions, growing sustainability demands, and global crises make innovation more important than ever. This presentation shows how new fiber technologies are changing the industry and helping to create better products using fewer resources and supporting a circular economy.

The focus is on new developments in fiber technology and innovative, high-value applications. It highlights how innovation can open up new growth opportunities, even in uncertain times. It also shows how important collaboration across the entire value chain is—from raw materials to end products—to bring new solutions to market faster and build resilient business models.

KEY MESSAGE
Global growth in manmade fiber demand is increasing pressure on the textile industry to adopt circular economy principles.
Scalable recycling systems and low‑impact production technologies are essential to reduce energy use and emissions. Rising sustainability expectations from brands and regulators are accelerating the need for systemic industry transformation.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
Global demand for manmade fibers is expected to rise sharply by 2040, intensifying pressure on the textile industry to transition toward a truly circular economy. Achieving this requires scalable recycling systems, low‑impact production technologies, and integrated value chains capable of reducing energy use and emissions while maintaining material quality. Brands and regulators worldwide are accelerating expectations for sustainable products, pushing the industry to redesign processes, infrastructure, and business models. Advancing innovative man-made fibers and state-of-the-art manufacturing solutions will be essential to closing material loops and enabling global self‑sufficiency in circular textile systems.

KEY MESSAGE
Participants: Robert van de Kerkhof, Marines Lagemaat, Christian Skilich, Georg Stausberg, Falco Weidemeyer


ABSTRACT CONTENT
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KEY MESSAGE
The be@t project develops innovative water-based textile bio-coatings and laminated materials using polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as sustainable alternatives to fossil-based polymers, integrating low-cost agricultural, agrifood, and industrial residues to enhance economic and environmental feasibility.
These bio-based coatings and flexible PHA films offer high-performance, multifunctional solutions for textiles, enabling eco-design, aesthetic versatility, and applications as leather alternatives or multi-layer laminated structures.
The resulting innovations demonstrate strong potential across diverse sectors, including fashion, sports, automotive, protective apparel, furniture, and home textiles, supporting circularity and sustainable resource valorisation.


ABSTRACT CONTENT
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable and thermally stable biopolymers produced via bacterial fermentation, but their adoption has been limited by high production costs.
Using low-cost feedstocks, such as agricultural, agrifood, and industrial residues, has shown potential to improve their economic feasibility while valorising underused biomass.
The be@t project focuses on developing a new generation of water-based textile bio-coatings and laminated materials using PHAs as sustainable alternatives to fossil-based polymers.
This approach integrates eco-design, aesthetics, and functional properties to create versatile, high-performance products for technical and functional textile applications.
Innovations include flexible PHA-based textile coatings, coloured with bio-based and synthetic pigments, providing a sustainable alternative to leather.
The project also explored flexible PHA films for textile laminations with natural fibres, such as hemp, linen, and organic cotton, resulting in multi-layer functional and sustainable textile solutions.
Laboratory and pilot-scale development demonstrated stable processing behaviour, compatibility with textile substrates, and high mechanical and chemical performance.
The resulting materials exhibit durability, flexibility, and aesthetic quality, making them suitable for a wide range of applications.
Potential sectors include fashion, sports, automotive, protective apparel, home textiles, furniture decoration, footwear, and accessories.
These innovations highlight the potential of waste-derived PHAs to deliver circular, sustainable, and high-value textile solutions for emerging industrial needs.

KEY MESSAGE
Solvent-based recycling combined with a wet spinning process allows recovery of high-quality aramid fibers from mixed meta- and para-aramid post-industrial material.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
The EU funded project SOLSTICE implements climate-neutral practices for the transition to a circular economy in the textile industry. The project covers four recycling processes for four different polymer classes including life cycle analysis and technical and economical evaluation. The DITF focus on a solvent-based recycling process to recover high-quality aramids from post-industrial material using "green solvents". Current work shows, that non-destructive separation of meta- and para-aramid is possible. Processing of the recycling-derived spinning solutions in a wet spinning process successfully provided meta-aramid fibers by coagulation in an aqueous medium. Process stability and mechanical properties of the fibers exceed expectations.

KEY MESSAGE
The Horizon Europe project PESCO-UP develops scalable processes to upgrade polyester recovered from CO/PES blend waste using techniques including melt filtration, SSP and chain extension. The project enables fibre grade PES production suitable for melt-spinning, demonstrating a viable pathway for high quality fibre-to-fibre recycling in a circular textile economy.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
CO/PES blend waste is challenging to recycle, often leading to polyester fractions with degradation and contamination. The Horizon Europe project PESCO-UP develops an economically viable process to purify and upgrade this fraction through melt filtration, solid-state polymerisation and chain extension, restoring fibre-grade quality (IV 0.60 - 0.70 dL/g). The upgraded PES is tested in melt-spinning trials to produce continuous filaments and staple fibres, benchmarked against virgin materials. This work demonstrates the potential to convert polycotton-derived polyester into high-quality yarns, supporting scalable fibre-to-fibre recycling and reducing reliance on virgin raw materials in a more circular textile system.

KEY MESSAGE
Blends of polyester and cotton are among the most common fibre blends used in clothing. While both fibres are considered recyclable individually, their mixtures pose greater challenges. The EU-funded PLASTICE project demonstrates enzymatic recycling of textile waste along the entire process chain, processing several hundred kilograms of waste textiles.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
For the separation and subsequent recycling of polycotton materials, several chemical processing methods have been proposed. Of these, enzymatic hydrolysis of cotton has significant benefits, including relatively mild reaction conditions, the absence of organic solvents, and the generation of a polyester fraction suitable for mechanical recycling alongside an additional glucose value stream. With preliminary tests using pure polyester fabrics followed by post-industrial polycotton waste, we gradually examined the key aspects involved in textile fibre recycling, paving the way to the most challenging recycling of post-consumer waste garments.

KEY MESSAGE
Modern CBRN protective materials must balance uncompromising protection with improved thermal and physiological comfort. This research demonstrates that it is possible to enhance chemical and biological defense while optimizing breathability and wearability, highlighting a need to evolve current standards toward user-centered performance.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
The development of materials for CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) protection involves a delicate balance between ensuring effective shielding and maintaining thermal comfort. These garments are typically impermeable or semi-permeable, providing strong defense against chemical and biological threats but often trapping heat and moisture. This can lead to significant physiological strain, especially during extended missions or in hot environments.
Thermal comfort is essential for maintaining user safety and performance, yet it frequently conflicts with the protection requirements of CBRN applications. Standards such as NFPA 1990 address critical parameters like Thermal Heat Loss (THL) and Resistance to Evaporative Transfer (RET) but overlook key aspects such as garment weight, flexibility, and overall usability that influence comfort in real-world use.
Our research demonstrates that, by leveraging advanced multilayer materials and selective permeability designs, it is feasible to enhance CBRN protection without compromising thermal comfort. This approach represents a major step toward more ergonomic and sustainable protective solutions. However, the findings also expose gaps in existing standards, particularly concerning physiological comfort metrics that remain unaddressed.
This presentation will discuss these results and advocate for an evolution in CBRN protective clothing standardsóone that integrates new comfort-related parameters alongside chemical resistance, ensuring both maximum protection and improved usability for defense and emergency response personnel.

KEY MESSAGE
The trend in protective textiles is moving towards ecological alternatives to fluorocarbon-based membranes and solvent-based coatings. Trans-Textil GmbH and S‰chsiches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. developed a breathable, filtering and environmentally friendly alternative by use of compacted foam coatings based on aqueous polyurethane dispersions. The range of applications extends from reusable dual-use medical textiles to protective workwear and government clothing.


ABSTRACT CONTENT
The presentation will be given by a representative of Trans-Textil GmbH and the STFI.
Protective textiles have a very wide range of uses in the field of medical textiles, occupational, industrial safety, government and leisure clothing. These special functional textiles are based on composite materials with coatings or membranes. Due to the performance requirements, the production of the coatings and membranes is based to a considerable extent on solvent-based and/or fluorocarbon-containing systems, which are rated to potentially cause damage to the environment or health during the processing or manufacture of the articles.
Trans-Textil GmbH and S‰chsiches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. developed a breathable, filtering and environmentally friendly alternative. A foam coating is applied on the textile from a mechanically foamed water-based polyurethane dispersion and compacted by heat and pressure in a second step. This deliberately destroys the foam structure and forms a microporous layer. A breathable and filtering (particle filtration) functional textile is obtained. The textile can be used in the field of reusable dual-use medical textiles and personal protective equipment as well as for government clothing.

KEY MESSAGE
TAYHO leads global aramid innovation, offering high-performance, green products for PPE & new energy. It addresses industry homogenization, drives sustainability, and shapes a safer materials future with partners.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
This paper elaborates on the global development status, market dynamics and industry challenges of high-performance aramid fibers, with a focus on TAYHO’s leading product portfolio, innovative R&D achievements and green product layout including bio-based and recycled aramid. It further analyzes aramid’s core value in PPE, new energy and other sectors, and forecasts the industry’s future trends of high performance, cost optimization and sustainable development, highlighting TAYHO’s pivotal role in reshaping the global aramid industry landscape.

KEY MESSAGE
Camouflage prints are a real science, a piece of art, because shear technical perfection is needed, to create maximum imperfection!
A camouflage design, which merges as good as possible in the surrounding landscape – day and night.



ABSTRACT CONTENT
Modern camouflage must provide protection not only in visible light but also against NIR, SWIR, and thermal imaging systems.
These technologies detect reflected or emitted light differently, making effective camouflage a technical challenge.
LENZING™ FR based textiles offer strong advantages because their cross dyeing process allows deep color penetration, stable camouflage performance, and reliable camouflage behavior in NIR and SWIR conditions.
This creates designs that blend naturally into the environment day and night.
Among these important camouflage properties, and it’s inherent flame resistance LENZING™ FR fiber offers some further very interesting key features!

KEY MESSAGE
Adding cotton fibers from textile waste to packaging paper has the potential to both reduce waste and to enhance selected paper properties.
Treating cotton fibers in a proper and efficient way is of utmost importance to avoid operational issues and make this loop closure also economically feasible.
This paper/presentation gives insights to the collaboration between partners across the entire value chain from textile waste to new packaging products.




ABSTRACT CONTENT
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KEY MESSAGE
CETI and Papeteries du Léman unite their expertise to convert post and pre-consumer textiles waste into high-value cellulosic resources. Together, they are building efficient, scalable bridges between textile waste management and fine-paper manufacturing. Their collaboration proves that cross-industry partnerships can accelerate circularity and unlock new value from discarded materials.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
This project transforms textile waste into a high-value resource through precise fiber selection and mechanically shredding resulting in consistent fibres suitable for papermaking. Tearing parameters are adapted to variations in fibre length, composition, and colour to maximise recovery and quality.

The reclaimed fibres are rigorously characterised for purity, morphology, and performance potential. Industrial-scale trials successfully integrate these fibres into fine paper, resulting in excellent sheet formation, competitive mechanical properties and attractive visual. Technical challenges are overcome through targeted process adjustments and smart blending strategies. The approach reduces waste, lowers reliance on virgin cellulose, and advances scalable circular manufacturing solutions.

KEY MESSAGE
Post-consumer cotton textiles can be transformed into high-performance secondary fibres for packaging paper, enabling substantial fibre substitution at industrially realistic energy inputs. This approach can extend textile fibre lifetimes, reduce waste disposal, and establish a scalable circular link between the textile and paper industries.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
The accumulation of post-consumer textiles demands viable recycling pathways. This study evaluates the conversion of cellulosic textile waste into secondary fibres for packaging paper within existing paper recycling systems. Two routes were investigated: mechanical refining of pre-sorted cotton textiles and alkaline hydrolysis of polycotton to recover cotton prior to refining. Scrap size and specific beating energy were optimised, and fibre and sheet properties were characterised. Blends containing 30 wt.% textile-derived fibres achieved packaging-grade tensile and compression strength at 300–600 kWh/t, comparable to conventional stock preparation. Results demonstrate technical feasibility and support cross-sector circular integration of textile fibres into papermaking.

KEY MESSAGE
The worldwide plastic polution - the background of the European Green Deal - the SUPD followed by the PPWR


ABSTRACT CONTENT
Why European Green Deal - what means SUPD - the force of the PPWR - the benefit of the sustainable solutions - the PCF of fiber based solutions compared to plastic

KEY MESSAGE
Recyc’Elit aims to industrialize the recycling of multi-material, polyester-based textiles by recovering not only the PET fraction but also the co-materials present in complex feedstocks (post-consumption & post-production). This approach enables the valorization of all textile components considered unrecoverable, ultimately bringing a wide range of recycled materials to market.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
In 2025, Recyc’Elit presented its results on the development of recycled elastane at laboratory scale.

This year, we will present results obtained on a broader variety of materials (natural, synthetic…) from diverse sectors (sportswear, apparel, luxury textiles…) and at larger scale, with an industrial pilot and a pre-industrial demonstrator.
We will highlight the key properties (fibers length, elasticity, toxicologic...) of the obtained co-materials (elastane, cotton…) isolated by our recycling process, along with concrete examples of their reintegration into market-ready applications.
With these results, we will demonstrate the potential of the 100% circular process of Recyc’Elit to recycle complex textile.

KEY MESSAGE
After laying the groundwork for recyclers to trial post-consumer textile and footwear feedstock prepared from different French and European sources, Refashion drives new experiments focusing on incorporation of recycled materials to validate complete value chains and accelerate post-consumer materials circularity in Europe.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
In 2025, Refashion launched experiments focusing on incorporation of recycled materials from post-consumer textiles and footwear to validate complete European value chains. Refashion renews these experiments in 2026 in order to boost demand for recycled materials derived from non-reusable post-consumer textiles and footwear, and secure both closed-loop and open-loop end markets for recyclers in Europe.
A full mapping of traced post-consumer textile and footwear feedstock flows will be presented, highlighting which material flows still need recycling solutions, to call for collaborative action with both recyclers and end-users, and accelerate post-consumer materials circularity in Europe.

KEY MESSAGE
Bridging the gap between waste and industrial-scale production, Valérius 360 drives advanced mechanical recycling innovation to transform pre- and post-consumer residues into premium yarns, turning systemic circularity into a tangible, global reality

ABSTRACT CONTENT
Established in 2017, Valérius 360 drives circular change by closing the loop in the textile industry. Leveraging advanced mechanical recycling innovation, the company transforms post-industrial, pre-, and post-consumer textile waste into recycled yarns. This presentation explores the technical complexities of mechanical recycling, focusing on critical recyclability factors such as fiber integrity, material blends, and contamination levels. Through case studies, Valérius 360 demonstrates industrial scalability and the successful transformation of textile waste into high-quality, sustainable garments. By advancing industrial innovation, Valérius 360 proves that resource efficiency and circularity are tangible realities for the textile market.

KEY MESSAGE
The Helium Loop Anorak proves that even the most complex performance outerwear can be circular when eco-design is embedded from the very beginning. By integrating recyclable materials with active disassembly solutions directly into the product design, the collaboration enables full material separation and high-value recycling at end-of-life.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
The R&D Helium Loop Anorak marks a breakthrough in circular design, proving that even complex outerwear can be engineered for end-of-life recyclability.
Traditionally, multi-material garments have been nearly impossible to recycle due to costly, manual disassembly. Developed with Peak Performance, ALLIED Feather + Down, Bureo/NetPlus®, Pertex, and Resortecs, this proof-of-concept embeds eco-design from the start. Recyclable NetPlus® nylon, high-quality down, and Resortecs’ Smart Stitch™ and Smart Disassembly™ technologies enable clean material separation at end-of-life. Down retains its loft for reuse, while nylon re-enters fibre recycling streams without compromising performance.

KEY MESSAGE
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ABSTRACT CONTENT
Accurate knowledge of fiber properties is essential for unlocking the full value chain of textile recycling and ensuring that materials can be reused in spinning and nonwoven processes at the highest possible quality. Today, many fiber-analysis workflows still rely on destructive, manual or operator-dependent procedures that limit scalability and prevent reliable, data-driven decision-making. To address this industry-wide bottleneck, ANDRITZ introduces a patent-pending, non-destructive imaging-based solution that predicts key fiber characteristics directly from intact textile samples — enabling faster, more objective and more precise material evaluation.
At the heart of the method is a proprietary illumination and image-interpretation concept designed specifically for the structural nature of textile fibers. By generating high-quality surface representations of the material and analyzing them with an advanced AI-based approach, the system derives fiber-property indicators that would traditionally require destructive laboratory testing.
A key differentiator of the solution is the extensive fiber-property database developed and continuously expanded by ANDRITZ with its vast experience in textile recycling machinery and technologies across mechanical and chemical processes. This unique dataset – still growing and thus expanding its value - forms the industry reference for fiber behavior in recycling environments and allows the model to provide robust predictions across a broad range of textile conditions.
By enabling rapid, objective and automated fiber characterization, the system directly addresses one of the most significant challenges in both mechanical and chemical recycling: the lack of consistent and reliable input-material information. Better data at the beginning of the value chain unlocks new business models, supports more accurate feedstock selection, mitigates quality losses and improves yield and cost efficiency — particularly for applications such as ring spinning, open-end spinning, nonwovens and future chemical-recycling infrastructures. This capability is essential for reaching high-quality output in a market where most textile waste is still mechanically recycled and where inadequate feedstock selection often causes performance limitations.

KEY MESSAGE
ESPR will set measurable textile ecodesign rules. To achieve real circularity, criteria must match sorting and recycling reality, create incentives for high-quality fibre-to-fibre recycled content, and rely on harmonised, enforceable verification. Aligning ESPR with the EU Bioeconomy Strategy can steer renewable carbon responsibly and avoid unintended trade-offs.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
EU Green Deal regulation is shifting textiles from voluntary pledges to enforceable product requirements. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will turn policy goals into delegated rules on several critera. This talk situates ESPR within the broader EU regulatory stack and focuses on shaping criteria that deliver real circularity. It addresses key “knackpoints”: defining recyclability in line with sorting performance and actual recycling pathways, setting recycled-content targets that incentivise high-quality fibre-to-fibre outcomes without market distortions, and selecting test methods and verification that are feasible for industry yet robust for enforcement. It also links ESPR to the EU Bioeconomy Strategy.

KEY MESSAGE
The new fully automated WINGS POY winding concept minimizes operator dependency, stabilizes yarn quality, and boosts productivity through advanced automated features. Combined with atmos.io’s real time traceability and data driven workflow and quality management, this integrated solution increases efficiency, reduces waste, and enables a fully connected smart factory environment.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
The new WINGS POY 2.0 significantly enhances spinning efficiency by integrating an automated string up system that minimizes operator dependence and error rates, and increases overall process stability. Additional features such as yarn end fixation, active quick returns, extended parking time, and improved shielding collectively boost reliability, reduce maintenance needs, and improve bobbin quality.
Atmos.io is a digital operating system that fully digitizes material flow, enabling real time traceability, smarter decisions, and automated workflows. Seamlessly integrating with ERP, MES, labs, and automation systems, it delivers alerts, quality grading, and predictive maintenance—reducing waste, downtime, and improving consistency.

KEY MESSAGE
The ESPR legislation, coming with the Digital Product Passport concept is much more as "new set of data".
Together with the additional data requirements coming with the latest EPR legislation, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) will bring our industry the biggest changes ever in history - affecting all Textile and Apparel sectors. The speech by Andreas R. Schneider will explain the "Why" as well as current challenges and the future "How", embedded in a global context, with a strong business focus and way beyond the latest activities of European lawmakers.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
The key question related to ESPR/DPP & EPR legislation is ìhow we want to do our business in the future in times of global warming, increasing data requirements and fierce cost pressureî - and this needs to be seen as a strategic challenge, not as an ìIT-Topicî!
Way before DPP and EPR challenges came up, Andreas R. Schneider founded in summer 2020 and in the middle of Corona crisis a new industry initiative, with the name Global Textile Scheme Initiative.
He did this, because then 22 companies from all textile value chain sectors - together with specialized IT companies - convinced him and committed their funds to the idea, to increase efficiency through automated data exchange, by creating a new joint data language as part of an aligned toolset of standards.
Today this new GTS data standard exists, and is today the sole data language, that covers end to end a whole value chain from raw materials to recycling.
With this knowledge, Andreas R. Schneider supported as ìCo-Sector-Lead Textileî the so called CIRPASS project, which prepared all current activities preparing he ground to a sector specific Delegated Acts legislation across Europe.
Today he is actively involved in all this measures, manages the Textile Expert Work Group 3 at the so called ìCIRPASS 2î project and is the contact person for the Textile & Apparel sectors for government, e. g. from Pakistan and China.
Our business life will not become easier and Andreas Schneider doesnít have all the answers.
With his global insights in relevant facts and how they will shape success critical market developments in our industries, his speech will help and enable you though, to ask the right questions.
How to deal with ESPR and EPR legislation will be success critical for any company in our industry and needs to be seen as one of the core strategic challenges for the next years
Andreas R. Schneider speaks ìour languageî without ìIT-Chineseî as his work – aside of a solid understanding of core technologies – always comes from the business model and process side – so expect an interesting speech about a most important circle of topics.

KEY MESSAGE
The project demonstrates a collaborative fiber-to-fiber recycling pathway for post-consumer polypropylene textiles by reprocessing recycled PP into melt-spun multifilament yarns. Using adapted regranulation and optimized melt spinning, stable rPP fibers with over 80% virgin PP performance were achieved, enabling a scalable circular solution for technical textiles, adaptable to other polymers.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
Post-consumer polypropylene textiles are mostly incinerated or landfilled and lack fiber-to-fiber recycling solutions. Through sorting, regranulating, and reprocessing post-consumer PP waste into melt-spun multifilament yarns, we established a robust, economically viable recycling route. Polypropylene offers excellent properties for technical textiles but suffers from thermal and mechanical degradation over multiple processing cycles and from hybrid PP/PE structures. A tailored rPP processing route combining controlled regranulation, filtration, additive concepts and process engineering enabled stable multifilament yarns with over 80% of virgin PP strength, demonstrating scalable circularity for technical textiles. The process can be adapted for other technically relevant polymers.

KEY MESSAGE
With regard to environmental fate, distinguishing between native and regenerated cellulose is neither scientifically justified nor advisable.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
Cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer and a key candidate for renewable materials. While natural polymers are exempt from EU plastic regulations, many cellulose-based textiles release fibers into the environment, raising questions about their persistence and whether regenerated cellulose should be considered natural or synthetic in the context of microplastic pollution. We present results from the most comprehensive dataset to date on cellulose biodegradation, combining 150+ laboratory, mesocosm, and field experiments. Native (cotton, linen) and regenerated fibers (viscose, modal, lyocell) were assessed in compost, soil, freshwater, and marine environments from the Arctic to the tropics and the deep sea.

KEY MESSAGE
Polyester circularity will not scale through premium segregation. It scales when heterogeneous waste becomes is transformed into drop-in monomers for standard polymerisation. matterr enables this via continuous hydrolytic depolymerisation with 1 minute residence time and about 95% conversion, supporting mass-balanced integration and industrial scale-up.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
Polyester polymerisation and downstream conversion are already standardised, scaled, and cost-optimised. The missing function for circularity is upgrading heterogeneous waste into high-quality, drop-in monomers that fit existing infrastructure without strict segregation. matterr’s continuous hydrolytic depolymerisation produces PTA and MEG from polyester-containing waste streams with around 80% polyester content. The process operates at 1 minute residence time and achieves 95 conversion of the polyester fraction. Product quality is assessed against polymerisation-relevant specification windows using scalable metrics such as PTA purity and particle size distribution. BESTSELLER supports supply-chain implementation.

KEY MESSAGE
The LYCRA Company’s textile‑to‑textile platform enables scalable elastane recycling, transforming elastane from a circularity barrier into a recoverable, high‑value resource through integrated technology pathways and cross‑value‑chain collaboration.

ABSTRACT CONTENT
The LYCRA Company’s textile‑to‑textile platform is a systemic circularity initiative designed to enable elastane recycling at scale. By integrating advanced textile separation, polymer refinement, and elastane re‑spinning into existing waste streams, the platform demonstrates compatibility with multiple recycling technologies. Multi‑party collaborations with recyclers, mills, brands, and technology developers validate elastane recovery and enable fibers containing over 20% recycled content across PET and polyamide systems. Designed to accommodate diverse elastane inputs while supporting tailored polymer routes, the platform establishes a scalable, value‑chain‑integrated framework that advances global textile‑to‑textile circularity.