You’ve heard of e-waste, what about Lululemon waste?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Fast fashion generates so much clothing waste: over ninety million tons annually! Sadly, less than one percent of our old clothes currently get recycled. How can we do better?
Enter chemical textile recycling!
Erha Andini developed a new way to recycle textiles that takes just fifteen minutes! This team from University of Delaware even tackled the issue of recycling multi-fiber blends.
Fabric types respond differently to various chemicals and heat. SO individual reusable compounds can be separated sustainably from blended textile waste. These recycled fibers can be used directly in new products!
Andini’s method could increase clothing recycling to eighty eight percent globally!
Me? I just do my part by… regifting.
Reference: Erha Andini et al.,Chemical recycling of mixed textile waste. Sci. Adv.10eado6827 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ado6827