#Paris #France #Reju #Nouvelles Fibres Textiles #Textile Recycling

Reju and Nouvelles Fibres Textiles Collaborate for Sustainable Textile Waste Solutions

In a significant development for sustainable fashion, Reju™, a company known for its textile recycling innovations, has partnered with Nouvelles Fibres Textiles (NFT), a French firm specializing in the recovery of used textiles. This collaboration aims to establish a robust circular ecosystem for managing textile waste in France. The initiative will leverage NFT's capabilities to supply secondary raw materials sourced from discarded textiles, which will then be transformed into Reju Polyester™ through advanced recycling processes.

The primary objective of this partnership is to enhance the infrastructure necessary for collecting and processing textile waste derived from both post-consumer and post-industrial sources. By doing so, Reju and NFT are committed to ensuring an open supply chain that guarantees 100% traceability of the recycled materials, marking a pivotal step towards greater transparency and sustainability in textile recycling.

Reju’s mission is to develop large-scale infrastructure to regenerate textile waste, focusing initially on polyester. The ultimate product, Reju Polyester™, boasts a carbon footprint that is 50% lower than that of newly produced polyester and can be regenerated indefinitely. The company’s first demonstration facility, known as Regeneration Hub Zero, is operational in Frankfurt, Germany, with plans to commence Reju-PET production in 2025.

The materials supplied by NFT will be processed at Reju’s Regeneration Hub Zero and future facilities across Europe. Additionally, NFT and its partners have recently inaugurated a unique semi-industrial site and research center in November 2023, specifically designed for textile recycling. This pilot facility merges Pellenc ST’s automated sorting technologies with Andritz shredding equipment, enabling efficient processing of significant volumes of post-industrial and post-consumer textile waste, while producing industry-grade fibers and raw materials suitable for new recycling technologies.

Moreover, NFT is extending its reach by supplying secondary raw materials to various industries, including nonwoven fabrics, insulation materials, composites, plastics, and other textile applications. This collaborative effort signifies a step forward in reducing textile waste and promoting circular economies.

Patrik Frisk, CEO of Reju, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "Reju and Nouvelles Fibres Textiles are harnessing innovation and collaboration to accelerate the transition to a circular textile ecosystem. This crucial partnership emphasizes our shared commitment to addressing textile waste issues and discovering new ways to utilize local resources. With the impending mandatory textile waste collection in the European Union set for 2025, it is essential that we have scalable systems and partnerships in place to process collected waste and prevent it from ending up in landfills or incinerators. Together, Reju and NFT are building the technology and infrastructure necessary to regenerate and reuse materials across various industries, transforming the way we utilize our resources."

Eric Boël and Etienne Wiroth, Co-Managing Directors of Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, highlighted the significance of their preparation over six years of research, stating, "NFT is ready to collaborate with professionals needing textile recycling solutions. We provide an innovative, turnkey solution that transforms heterogeneous textile waste streams into high-quality, homogeneous raw materials, ensuring traceability. Our partnership with Reju paves the way for a circular, localized, low-carbon, and more collaborative industrial landscape - essentially fostering a compassionate industry!"

This partnership exemplifies the pressing need to mitigate the environmental impact of textile waste through collaborative efforts and innovative cross-industry solutions, positioning both companies at the forefront of sustainable practices in textile recycling.