These startups are leading the industry towards greater sustainability. Here’s how!
The ousting of denim-on-denim styles and camo pants (yep!) proves that what’s trending today might be outdated tomorrow. We tend to treat our clothing as disposable items, discarding them once they’re no longer in vogue. Unfortunately, this has led to a significant problem—a growing pile of textile waste.
This problem’s size is shocking. According to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, a partner of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), an alarming amount of abandoned textiles, equal to a truckload, are dumped in landfills or incinerated every second. This waste problem is only getting worse, with estimates suggesting that we buy 60 percent more clothes than before. What’s more, even though we shop a lot, we’re not wearing our clothes as much as we used to.
Fortunately, some new and creative startups are stepping up to improve the state of fashion. In this article, we round up startups working hard to reduce textile waste and make fashion more eco-friendly.
Refiberd
Refiberd, a California-based company that started in 2020, uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to recycle old textiles and create new, sustainable ones.
Its recycling process involves sorting textile waste into different categories based on color and estimated material percentage. The waste is then shredded and analyzed with a spectroscopy tool—a hyperspectral camera combined with a machine learning-based algorithm. This process accurately measures the waste with over 90 percent accuracy within a 1 percent material range.
The waste is then processed through Refiberd’s chemical recycling system, which separates the cotton and polyester fibers and creates a new Refiberd thread.
The recycled thread is strong enough for new textile production and cheaper than industry standards. Currently, the company caters to three types of customers: resale organizations, textile recyclers and sustainable fashion brands.
Re-Fresh Global
Founded in 2019, Re-Fresh Global is a Berlin-based startup specializing in sustainable textile upcycling. Its unique upcycling process transforms textile waste into new raw materials such as nano-cellulose, bioethanol and multifunctional fibers. Various industries use these raw materials, including construction, automotive, textiles, fashion, medical, cosmetics and packaging.
The startup has launched a range of innovations, including an urban manufacturing solution known as the Smart Textile Waste Upcycling Microfactory. This range also includes Re-SanPulp—a versatile textile pulp made from a blend of recycled natural and synthetic fibers; Re-Thanol—a bio-ethanol with various industrial applications; and Re-Nano—a patented microfibrillated cellulose designed to reduce the carbon footprint of textile companies significantly.
During a pilot test of the Re-Fresh concept in Kfar Saba, Israel, the initiative surpassed business and community expectations. The initiative’s co-founder, Viktoria Kanar, reported that the Re-Fresh team collected 10 tons of textiles. Of these, 38 percent were sold again, while 60 percent were prepared for upcycling.
Circ
Established in 2011, Circ, a Virginia-based startup, has developed a unique technology to extract raw materials from discarded clothes. Recycling textile waste has always been a challenge, especially for blended fabrics. The presence of different fibers in the fabric makes it difficult to separate and recycle them individually. However, Circ’s recycling technology is particularly effective in separating and recovering mixed polymer streams, including cotton and polyester blends, commonly used to produce fabrics.
The startup employs hydrothermal processing, a method that combines water, heat, pressure and chemicals to break down and purify textile fibers, enabling the recovery of up to 90 percent of the original components. Although the process involves chemical recycling, Circ follows responsible practices (though we don’t know much about them) to ensure environmental safety and sustainability.
Circ is planning to launch its first full-scale factory in 2025. This facility will be able to process more than a thousand tonnes of waste textiles every week, thus preventing them from ending up in landfills or incinerators. The startup’s long-term objective is to revolutionize the fashion industry by extending this capability to 10 billion pieces of clothing, representing approximately 10 percent of the world’s apparel market.
Join the sustainability movement
Besides startups, some well-known fashion brands, like the American clothing brand Patagonia, are also involved in the eco-conscious movement. Patagonia emphasizes transparency and traceability in its manufacturing process, considering social and environmental justice. It uses organic cotton, wool and recycled PET bottles to craft polyester and fleece. Notably, Patagonia has been integrating recycled materials into its products since the 1990s.
The journey towards sustainable fashion is a collective effort, and it’s important to remember that the responsibility doesn’t fall solely on the shoulders of startups and industry giants. Every consumer plays a pivotal role in this mission, and it’s through our actions that real change can occur.
As consumers, our choices hold significant sway. Each purchase we make is a reflection of our values. By actively supporting zero-waste brands, making thoughtful shopping decisions and wholeheartedly embracing sustainable practices, we can collectively curtail textile waste and foster an eco-friendly fashion ecosystem. However, our commitment to change doesn’t end there. Consider participating in community initiatives, advocating for responsible fashion practices or simply spreading the word about the importance of sustainable fashion.
Also read:
- The Maximalist Fashion Trend: Where Did It Come From and Where Is It Going?
- Eco-Fashion: These Startups Are Upcycling Waste into Bags and Clothes
- The Need for Ethical Fast Fashion – Greta Thunberg
- 4 Vintage Fashion Comebacks Taking the World by Storm
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