Published in BREF ECO: Recyc'Elit manufactures its first recycled polyester yarn.
After several months of R&D and tests, the start-up Recyc'Elit succeeded in transforming fifteen kilos of polyester clothing into six kilos of rPET pellets, which themselves made it possible to recreate six spools of yarn. The young company is looking for funds in order to finance its first industrial demonstrator.
They did it! After Months of R&D and laboratory and pilot tests, Karim and Raouf Medimagh, the founders of Recyc'Elit, succeeded in their bet! That of transforming textiles based on non-reusable used polyesters into recycled yarns, using their ecodepolymerisation technology. ” We worked on a 15 kg deposit of polyester clothing in several colors, with buttons and other zips, explain the two brothers. We saw that our process, thanks to its moderate temperature, tolerated impurities ”.
Today, there is no recycling solution for blends such as polyester miwed with elastane, nylon or polyurethane.
After a stint in Recyc'Elit reactors, the fifteen kilos of clothing became PET pellets thanks to a partnership with IMP Insa. The latter were sent to an independent technical center (IFTH) to be spun. ” Our resin pellets gave six spools of polyester yarn, at first try, with the technical properties consistent with a textile-grade yarn! ”, are delighted Karim and Raouf Medimagh who have thus had the confirmation that it is possible to work on mixed deposits. A real plus! ” Today, there is no recycling solution for blends of synthetic materials such as polyester blended with elastane, nylon or polyurethane. Our innovation makes it possible to respond to the economic equation of revalorisation with yarn quality equivalent to petro-sourced yarn. ”.
Towards an industrial demonstrator
With its proven technology, Recyc'Elit now intends to accelerate and equip itself with an industrial demonstrator, by the end of 2023/beginning of 2024. For its installation, its managers have two options:” Either as close as possible to the deposits, or close to the repolymerisation actors ”. To carry out this next step, Recyc'Elit is actively looking for funds.
At the same time, the company is pursuing studies.” with big names in the industry ”. In Europe, the pool of non-recyclable and available textiles amounts to 700,000 tons, according to a recent study by McKinsey.
ECO BREF article of 15/02/2023
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