It is a new textile process technology which allows garments to be selectively disassembled at end of life. During garment manufacture, the process incorporates a unique yarn into the specific seams designed to be separated at the end of life. This particular yarn loses its tensile strength when exposed to microwave radiation (for this a bespoke industrial microwave has been designed). This enables zips, buttons, tags etc that contaminate recycled fibre to be easily removed prior to garment recycling and allows recovering pure fibre, reusing corporate clothing or up cycling garments. The technology is the result of a collaboration by a consortium of British companies supported by The Technology Strategy Board (SUSCORP project). The organisations involved in the consortium are: Aestiva Ltd (Project Manager); University of Leeds, Centre for Technical Textiles; C-Tech Innovation Ltd; GnoSys UK Ltd; George at Asda; Madeira UK Ltd; Mathias and Sons; Oxfam Waste Savers; Royal Mail Group Ltd.
Aestiva Ltd
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Business actor
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Consultancies and IT services
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SI Scope
United Kingdom
SI Process
Start Date:
2009
End Date:
N/A
The project commenced in 2009. In October 2012 wear2 released press information. Stage and other dates to be checked with the innovator.
Link to H2020 SI Priorities
Solutions to explore, extract, process and recycle
Eco-solutions to reduce raw materials use
SI Type
Product / Process - wear2™ is a new textile process technology which allows garments to be selectively disassembled at end of life. It is basically a unique yarn that loses its tensile strength when exposed to microwave radiation (a bespoke industrial microwave purposely designed). The heating would activate the seams for subsequent disassembly.
SI Objectives
Removal of “tax” tags, labels, logos, branding, zips, buttons, fastenings, linings and other "contras" that currently contaminate recycled fibre can be easily and inexpensively achieved, without damage, prior to garment recycling.
Garments can be engineered to separate into parts for subsequent repurposing, uniform can be reused in place of landfilling.
wear2 can significantly increase the financial value realised from end-of-life corporate clothing, with associated environmental benefits.
In the UK alone about 1 million tonnes of clothing is “landfilled” every year. By adopting the wear2™ process, over 60% of this total could potentially be re-processed into new products, thus creating a major new profit centre.
Annual CO2 emissions reduction of at least 800,000 tonnes CO2e.
Markedly improves resource management with substantial savings in water and energy consumption.
SI Origin
16 million items of branded corporate clothing are disposed of per year in the United Kingdom. This disposal can be for a number of reasons – not just end of use products, but new logos or colours, updated uniforms, or failure to sell can all result in waste clothing. At best, these fabrics – often quality garments such as fleeces and polo shirts – are then shredded, resulting in a low-grade material with fewer uses. At worst, they are incinerated or landfilled.
The lack of effective disassembly technologies and absence of design protocols for handling clothing at the end of its life have acted as barriers to a profitable, sustainable clothing operation. The wear2™ process, which is compatible with current manufacturing equipment, provides the clothing and fashion sector with an opportunity to both enhance its competitiveness and reduce its environmental and societal burdens.
SI Factors of success
Economic - By adopting the wear2™ process, over 60% of clothing could potentially be re-processed into new products, thus creating a major new profit centre. wear2 can significantly increase the financial value realised from end-of-life corporate clothing, with associated environmental benefits.
Environmental - In the UK alone about 1 million tonnes of clothing is “landfilled” every year. With wear2, approximately 600000 tonnes of waste can potentially be diverted from landfill pa.
Annual CO2 emissions reduction of at least 800,000 tonnes CO2e.
Markedly improves resource management with substantial savings in water and energy consumption.
Social - Recycled textiles are a significant income stream for a number of third sector. This technology will increase the value of the materials they handle.
Sources
Secondary - Information downloaded from website; innovator to be contacted for more details.
Please note that when the case has been reviewed, the innovation website was not active anymore. However, some material had been previously downloaded.
