HKRITA, Looptworks and Jeanologia Partner to Scale Green Machine Textile Recycling Technology

Hong Kong-based HKRITA, U.S. textile recycler Looptworks and Spanish textile technology company Jeanologia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to accelerate the commercialization of Green Machine, a textile recycling technology designed to process blended fabrics and recover high-value fibres.

The partnership was announced during the Textiles Recycling Expo in Brussels and reflects growing industry efforts to develop scalable recycling solutions for mixed-fibre textiles, including cotton-polyester blends and denim, which remain among the most difficult materials to recycle.

At the center of the collaboration is Green Machine, a recycling system developed by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA). The technology combines hydrothermal treatment with a dissolution process to separate polyester and cotton fibres from blended textiles while preserving the quality of the recovered polyester.

During the process, cotton is converted into cellulosic powder, enabling polyester fibres to be recovered for fibre-to-fibre recycling. The recovered cellulose can be used in applications including textile re-spinning, composite materials, agricultural water-retention products and PFAS-free durable water-repellent finishes, extending the value of recycled textile materials.

The partners plan to advance Green Machine from its current pilot-stage technology into a fully integrated industrial recycling process capable of handling a wider range of post-consumer textile waste streams.

According to the project partners, the process uses only heat, water and a limited quantity of environmentally compatible chemicals. It can recover more than 97% of polyester fibres within approximately two hours while consuming around 30% less energy than producing virgin PET fibres.

The technology has attracted interest because it can process complex textile waste streams that are difficult to recycle using conventional mechanical methods, particularly denim and mixed-fibre garments. As textile waste volumes continue to increase, technologies capable of separating blended materials are becoming increasingly important for the development of circular textile supply chains.

Looptworks, headquartered in Gresham, Oregon, specializes in fibre-to-fibre textile recycling and has focused on recovering value from difficult mixed-textile streams since its establishment in 2009. The company said it has diverted more than 25,500 tonnes of textile materials from landfill.

Scott Hamlin, Chief Executive Officer of Looptworks, said collaboration across the textile value chain is essential to bringing advanced recycling technologies to commercial scale and expanding circular solutions for post-consumer textiles.

Green Machine has already entered commercial application. Fashion brand Monki has incorporated recycled textile materials produced using the technology into its collections, while Indonesian textile manufacturer PT Kahatex operates the first industrial-scale Green Machine facility with a processing capacity of 1.5 tonnes per day. Denim manufacturer Isko has also secured a licensing agreement for the technology.

The partners said expanding Green Machine deployment will require a reliable supply of post-consumer textile feedstock, creating new opportunities for textile collectors, sorting companies and waste management operators to supply recyclable materials into emerging circular textile value chains.

Source: Recycling International

SUNSHINE Spotlight: The HKRITA–Looptworks–Jeanologia partnership aims to commercialize blended-textile recycling technology, supporting the recovery of polyester and cotton fibres from post-consumer garments and expanding circular solutions for the textile industry.