NTU Singapore and RGE Launch S$6 Million Textile Recycling Research Centre

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and resources-based manufacturing group Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) have launched a S$6 million joint research centre focused on textile recycling and sustainable textile technologies. The RGE-NTU Sustainable Textile Research Centre (RGE-NTU SusTex), based at NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, will develop recycling processes that can be applied in urban settings such as Singapore.

The centre will study the chemistry of different textile materials and develop methods to recover textile waste and refabricate it into fibres. The research is intended to support Singapore’s Zero Waste vision and Green Plan 2030, while addressing the technical and environmental constraints associated with textile recycling.

The programme will cover four main areas: lower-chemical and more energy-efficient recycling of cellulose-based fabrics such as rayon, viscose and cotton; automated sorting of textile waste based on fibre composition; lower-impact dye removal; and the development of new textiles and applications for textile by-products.

Researchers will use spectroscopic techniques and machine learning to identify and sort textile waste, including work on automated removal of components such as zips and buttons. Another research stream will examine dye-removal methods that use little or no chlorinated chemicals, as well as biodegradable alternatives for textile dyes.

The centre is led by Professor Hu Xiao of NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, who also directs the Environmental Chemistry & Materials Centre at NTU’s Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute. Researchers from NTU’s School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering will also contribute to the programme.

RGE is providing S$6 million in funding for the establishment and research activities of the centre. RGE Executive Director Perry Lim said existing textile recycling processes can rely on intensive chemical bleaching and separation methods that are difficult to apply in urban environments. He said the company would contribute its experience in viscose fibre manufacturing and R&D to the programme.

NTU President Professor Subra Suresh said the centre combines RGE’s manufacturing experience with NTU’s research capabilities in materials and environmental chemistry. The initiative also received support from Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), which helped establish the relationship between the university and RGE.

The partnership comes as textile waste remains a significant waste-management issue globally. The project partners cited an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste generated each year, with only a portion of textile materials currently recycled. The research will focus on technologies that can improve material recovery while reducing chemical use and energy consumption.

Alongside the research centre, RGE plans to build a textile recycling pilot plant in Singapore designed to operate with lower carbon emissions, chemical emissions and energy consumption. Technologies developed through RGE-NTU SusTex are expected to be tested at the facility as the partners assess their potential for larger-scale deployment.

Source: EDB Singapore

SUNSHINE Spotlight: NTU Singapore and RGE are investing S$6 million in textile recycling research focused on cleaner processing, automated sorting, dye removal and fibre recovery, with a pilot plant planned for Singapore.