Elastane Fibers in Textile Recycling – Analyzing the Product Group T-Shirts

Abstract

Garments are made of a large variety of different materials, from blended fibers to haberdashery items and colorants or finishings, making it difficult if not impossible to predict the composition of the post-consumer textile waste stream. This mix of materials complicates recycling efforts, contributing to less than 1 % of fiber-to-fiber (F2F) recycled fibers globally. To strengthen the industry’s efforts towards a more sustainable and circular textile industry, we must focus, among other things, on design for recycling and thus address the current challenges of the F2F recycling technologies.

Most garments are made from fiber blends, typically containing two or more different fibers. While beneficial for comfort and durability, fiber blends pose a significant obstacle for high quality F2F recycling. Especially the fiber elastane, though usually only present in small quantities, is a great challenge; from the detection of the fiber up to the removal and recycling of it. In a previous study, we looked at common haberdashery items on T-shirts. The following study focuses on elastane contents in T-shirts, considering the fit of the garment of several brands. The results will help to understand the product group T-shirts better and allow us to formulate ecodesign guidelines based on the current market status quo. The ecodesign guidelines will enable the garment producers to make better choices during material selection regarding design for recycling and will help shift the industry towards a circular economy.