It's now possible to break down polycotton into its requisite parts in just 15 minutes, ready to turn the materials into new garments.
In a similar vein, German company Re-Fresh Global uses ‘Smart Textile Waste Upcycling Microfactories’ to transform old clothes into fragrances, pharmaceuticals, shoes, fabrics, vehicle upholstery and more.
Re-Fresh collects discarded textile waste at its factories, where machines sort it by colour and material type.
Using a patented biotechnology process, the waste is turned into three biodegradable raw materials: bio-ethanol, nanocellulose and an unwoven textile pulp. These low-cost, high-volume raw materials are used in the construction, automotive, textile and fashion sectors.
These are just a few of the innovators aiming to slow down fast fashion, increase circularity and make the clothes we wear more sustainable.