Textiles are an essential part of daily life, serving purposes from comfort to protection and technical applications. With global fibre and yarn production reaching an all-time high of 124 million tons in 2023 and clothing production more than doubling since 2000, managing textile waste is of critical importance. Currently, over 73% of all used clothing worldwide is incinerated or landfilled, while less than 1% are recycled in a closed loop. A major barrier to textile recycling is the widespread use of fibre blends, with elastane-containing elastic textiles presenting a particular challenge. [1, 2]
The use of so-called elastanes, dry-spun filament yarns from elastomeric polyurethanes, is the primary method for adding elasticity to textiles. Despite its typically low content (2–20 wt.-%) in blended textiles, elastane significantly hinders recycling processes. Due to the cross-linked structure, melting and regranulation in a (thermo-)mechanical recycling process for synthetic textiles is not possible. [3] With the increasing use of elastane in textiles and its production growing at approximately 6.4% annually, alternative solutions are urgently needed. [4]
Melt-spinnable thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) offer a promising pathway for thermoplastic elastic yarns that enable textile recyclability. By selecting polymer combinations with matching processing requirements and material compatibility, the fibre blends in textiles can be optimized for recyclability. This research explores the recycling potential of textiles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most widely used fibre material, combined with a selected TPE.
References
[1] Textile Exchange; Materials Market Report September 2024 (Revised January 2025); https://textileexchange.org/app/uploads/2024/09/Materials-Market-Report-2024.pdf
[2] Ellen MacArthur Foundation; A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future; 2017
[3] Wissel, R.; Ludes, A.; Küppers, B.; Sorting and Recycling of Elastic Textiles. In: Thiel, J.; Gries, T. (Hrsg.); Elastic Yarns and Textiles; München: Hanser; 2024
[4] Sinitsa, A.; The Market of Elastic Yarns. In: Thiel, J.; Gries, T. (Hrsg.); Elastic Yarns and Textiles; München: Hanser; 2024