1 Textile “Recycling” SMT 232 Henry Boyter Jr., PhD March 17, 2015 November 15, 2012

2 CESTAB Center for Environmentally Sustainable Textile and Apparel Businesses 1407 South Bloodworth St. Raleigh, NC (under construction)

3 ME PhD - University of Virginia 1987 MS - University of Virginia 1984 BS – Clemson University years in textile sustainability Classes given at University of Virginia, Institute of Textile Technology, NCSU

4 ME OIA Eco Index Toxics Subcommitte Member NSF/ANSI 336 Water Committee Chair ASTM 13,40 Committee Member NTA/AAFA VPEP Committee Member BSR Wastewater Reviewer AAFA RSL Official Reviewer AATCC RA100 Past Chair ATMES Advisor Company Reviews (Milliken, Levi, etc)

5 Sustainability = Sustainable = Organic = Natural = Green = Eco Friendly = Consumer Friendly = No Harmful Substances = Certified to Any Standard

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7 Textile waste occupies nearly 5% of all landfill space.

Each pair of jeans 70 pounds of CO2 emissions; 750 gallons of water use; and 111 kilowatt-hours of electricity use.

9 Polyester Green House Gas emissions: from cradle to polymer factory gate Polyamide Environmental impacts of polymers (1) Source: Natureworks LCA PLA Production

10 “Recycling”

11 Current State “Recycling” Definition Re-purpose – new use with no changes Re-purpose – new product with only physical changes Re-use – wear another year Re-use – local charity or fashion shop Re-use – ship outside USA/EU

12 Current State “Recycling” Definition Recycle – chemical additions / no chemical changes Recycle – minor chemical changes Recycle – major chemical changes

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16 Current Sad State of the Industry Technology research is limited Decisions are very PR driven Systems are NOT transparent Decisions made based on $$$$$

17 Current State of the Industry Biggest Problem Textile Manufacturing, Apparel, and Retail are Complicated

18 Current State of the Industry

19 Current State of the Industry Biggest Problem Textile Manufacturing, Apparel, and Retail are Complicated

20 EVERYONE MUST KNOW SUPPLY CHAINS  Newspapers  Plastic Water Bottles  Plastic Other Bottles  Office Paper  Aluminum Cans  Metal Cans

21 EVERYONE MUST KNOW THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN  Designer – Art  Designer – Manufacturing  Yarn Supplier  Fabric Supplier  Fabric Prep  Dyer  Fabric Finishing  Cut and Sew  Garment Maker  Transportation  Retailer  Recycler  Consumer / Disposer

22 EVERYONE MUST KNOW THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN pre-consumer recycled material (post-industrial): Proportion, by mass, of recycled material within a product that has been recovered or diverted from the solid waste stream after the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind, or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it. For examples of what may and may not constitute this type of material, refer to the US Government Federal Trade Commission

23 EVERYONE MUST KNOW THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN pre-consumer recycled material (pre-industrial): Included is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind, or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it. There is not a formal definition isnce it is a moving target. Fiber Yarn Fabric Dyed Fabric Finished Fabric Garment Cuttings Garment Seconds

24 EVERYONE MUST KNOW THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN post-consumer recycled material: Proportion, by mass,of recycled material within a product that has been recovered or diverted from the solid waste stream after consumer use. For examples of what may and may not constitute this type of material, refer to the US Government Federal Trade

25 Current State “Recycling” Re-purpose – new use with no changes Washing car with t-shirt Using old towels for spills Storing Christmas decorations

26 Current State “Recycling” Re-purpose – new product with only physical changes Rags for commercial sale Bunny stuffings Pillow stuffings Car trunks - nonwovens

27 Current State “Recycling” Re-use – wear another year Greatest savings in all areas? Unemployment Food Crop Increase

28 Current State “Recycling” Re-use – local charity or fashion shop Does it reduce production? Material not sold? More disposal

29 Current State “Recycling” Re-use – ship outside USA/EU Social concerns Health and safety Landfills Pollution

30 Current State “Recycling” Recycle – no “chemical” changes Chop and melt material Re-extrude Loss of physical properties – Molecular weight – Molecular structure – Color

31 Current State “Recycling” Recycle – chemical additions / no chemical changes Anti depolymerization Agent Dyeing Fire Retardants

32 Current State “Recycling” Recycle – minor chemical changes Polymerization agents Grafting New monomer addition

33 Current State “Recycling” Recycle – major chemical changes Depolymerization to basic monomers Creation of new monomers

34 Biggest Problem Textile Manufacturing, Apparel, and Retail are Complicated

35 Current State “Recycling” Global Recycled Standard v3 Textile Exchange and Stakeholders The Global Recycled Standard is an international standard that provides third-party certification of the recycled content of products by verifying the chain of custody from the recycler to the final product. The Standard also specifies environmental and social requirements for manufacturing, including chemical use.

36 Problems  Where Is It Going?  What Continent?  How Much?  Life Cycle?  Any Data?  Jobs Lost  No Recycling Program Offsets  Stability

37 Problems

38 Problems

39 Problems  Contamination  Metals - Tommy Copper, Silver, Titanium  Blood / Body Fluids  Pesticides / Herbicides  Bacteria / Viruses  Nanoparticles  Multifiber articles  Dyes/Finishes

40 Problems  What Can Be Recycled  Shoes  Made to Recycle  Made to Be Complicated - Electronics  Made to Throw Away

41 Problems  Agreement Between Groups  Landfill Reduction as Reason (Paper)  CO2 Reduction Versus Composting (EPA)  Incineration for Energy (Korea)  Profit Versus Feel Good  Profit Versus Nonprofits Versus Government  Regulation Versus Certification  Transparency  Data Requirements  Citizens

42 Problems $$$$$$$$$$$$

43 Polyester

44 Polyester Pre and Post Consumer Mostly bottles Physical (melting) and re-extruding Minor chemical changes Depolymerization (Teijin Process) Typically 50% recycled content

45 Polyester

46 Polyester

47 Polyester Problems Color – yellow to white that may require bleaching or can not use for whites, satins, first quality Dyeing – inconsistent batch to batch can cause redyes which use energy, chemicals, and water Dyeing – more dye can be used to achieve the same shades (30%) Contamination – PVC introduced from labels and wrappers

48 Nylon Pre and Post Consumer Mostly carpet and preconsumer Physical (melting) and re-extruding Minor chemical changes Depolymerization Typically 50% recycled content

49 Nylon

50 Nylon Q Shawcontractgroup.com/Html/EnvironmentalEcoSolutionQ

51 Cotton

52 Cotton

53 Fiber Energy Usage Embodied Energy used in production of various fibers: energy use in MJ per KG of fiber: hemp, organic2 flax10 hemp, conventional12 cotton, organic, India12 cotton, organic, USA14 cotton,conventional55 wool63 rPET66 Viscose100 Polypropylene115 Polyester125 acrylic175 Nylon250

54 Shoes

55 Final Thought