Closed-loop Mechanical Recycling Opportunities in Industrial Cotton Wastes

ABSTRACT

Reusing industrial wastes in textile production is essential to reduce the total environmental burden of textile products. This study proved that the wastes generated in the ring-spinning process of a lightweight cotton shirting-producing company could be turned into fabrics used in shirts, jackets, and trousers. A total of 21 different yarns in four different counts containing 5–100% waste were produced in OE-rotor and ring spinning lines. These yarns were used to produce 12 different fabrics. Some of the produced yarns and fabrics met the criteria required for the lightweight fabrics. Others, specifically yarns and fabrics produced from short fiber wastes, exhibited suitable properties for the medium and coarse yarn count segment. According to the gate-to-gate LCA analysis, virgin cotton yarn and 100% cotton waste-contained yarn had similar environmental impacts in terms of OE-rotor spinning process.

摘要

纺织生产中工业废物的再利用对于减少纺织产品的总体环境负担至关重要. 本研究证明, 一家轻薄棉衬衫生产公司在环锭纺纱过程中产生的废物可以转化为用于衬衫, 夹克和裤子的织物. OE转杯纺纱线和环锭纺纱线共生产了四种不同支数的21种不同纱线, 含5-100%的废品. 这些纱线被用来生产12种不同的织物. 生产的一些纱线和织物符合轻质织物的标准. 其他产品, 特别是由短纤维废料生产的纱线和织物, 表现出适合中粗纱段的性能. 根据门到门LCA分析, 原棉纱线和100%含废棉纱线在OE转杯纺纱工艺方面具有类似的环境影响.

KEYWORDS:

• Industrial waste
• OE-rotor spinning
• ring spinning
• closed-loop recycling
• LCA

关键词:

• 工业废物
• 转杯纺纱
• 环锭纺
• 闭环回收

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK) San-Tez Programme (Project No: 0999.STZ.2015). The authors would like to thank Söktaş Tekstil San. Ve Tic. A.Ş. (Aydın-Turkey) and Reysan İplik Tekstil Sanayi Dış Ticaret Ltd. Şti. (İstanbul-Turkey) for their valuable contributions. The project was carried out mainly at their plants.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the TUBİTAK (The Scientific And Technological Research Council Of Turkey) [SAN-TEZ Programme, Project no: 0999.STZ.2015].