Major step achieved in the recycling of used textiles. The cycle has been closed with the TEX2MAT process.
Vienna, October 20, 2021:
For the project “TEX2MAT – New processes for recycling textile waste of multi-material composition”, the company HERKA GmbH received the State Prize 2021 Environmental and Energy Technology in the category Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency from Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler.
In the EU, around 10 million tons of textile waste ends up in residual waste every year and is often incinerated. The main objective of the Austria-wide TEX2MAT project was therefore to recycle used textiles with a multi-material composition. In order to achieve this goal, a consortium developed a new TEX2MAT process suitable for SMEs for the recycling of polyester-cotton blended fabrics. Enzymes are used to extract the cotton content so that the intact polyester fibers can be returned to the production cycle and the resulting glucose can be converted into auxiliaries for textile production. This process ensures that high-quality and consistent recycled quality is maintained. The main objective of producing new textiles or injection-molded products from multi-material used textiles was achieved. The cycle could be closed with the new TEX2MAT process.
Towels produced by HERKA Frottier with recycled polyester are comparable to new goods in terms of dyeing, washing tests etc.. This means that the TEX2MAT process can save considerable amounts of resources and disposal costs, with positive effects on the climate and environment. The process is therefore an excellent example of the circular economy and can also be transferred to other materials (e.g. packaging). The project also shows that the entire process chain can be covered and added value achieved through cooperation with companies at regional level and that the use of modern (bio)technologies can help to increase competitiveness.
HERKA’s aim is to achieve the same for textiles made from 100% cotton. To this end, valuable contacts were made at the State Prize Gala on Wednesday.
“The State Prize is an enormous incentive to continue pursuing our goal of closing the cycle for natural fibers, especially for the valuable raw material cotton. We are currently striving to gain cooperation partners for this.” says Thomas Pfeiffer, Managing Director of the award winner HERKA GmbH.
HERKA GmbH’s project partners were: Ecoplus NÖ, TU Vienna, BOKU Vienna, Montanuni Leoben, Salesianer Miettex GmbH, Andritz AG, Starlinger & Co GmbH, Fildan GmbH, Thermoplastkreislauf GmbH, PlastiksEurope, Multiplast GmbH.
State prizes are the highest awards of the Republic of Austria. An award can be regarded as the highest seal of quality that the Republic of Austria can bestow.
The State Prize Gala with Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler took place on October 20, 2021 in Vienna. More in the video…
