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Chemical Recycling Landscape

Chemical Recycling Landscape

This document provides an in-depth analysis of the chemical recycling landscape for textiles, focusing on polyester (PET), cellulose, and fibre blends. It examines the current state of recycling technologies, key challenges, industry players, investment trends, and innovation opportunities. The report compares mechanical and chemical recycling, highlighting the benefits, limitations, and market gaps in textile-to-textile recycling. It also explores the role of enzymatic recycling, depolymerisation, and solvent processing in advancing circularity within the fashion industry.

Last updated: 16/07/2024

Introduction

The fashion industry generates millions of tonnes of textile waste annually, with only a fraction being recycled or reused. Most textile recycling is downcycling, where fabrics are repurposed into lower-value materials instead of being regenerated into new garments. Chemical recycling offers a solution by breaking fibres down into their original monomers or purified polymers, allowing them to be transformed into new textiles without degrading quality.


Key Challenges in Chemical Recycling:

  • Feedstock Purity Requirements – Many recycling processes require high-purity inputs, making post-consumer textile recycling difficult.
  • Pre-processing Barriers – Removing dyes, finishes, elastane, and synthetic blends remains a major technological challenge.
  • Scaling & Cost Issues – Most chemical recycling innovations are still in pilot or demo stages, leading to high costs and long lead times.
  • Shift from Bottle-to-Textile to Textile-to-Textile Recycling – Many recycled textiles originate from PET bottles rather than old garments, highlighting the need for true circularity in fashion.

Key Chemical Recycling Processes:

Polyester: 

  • Depolymerisation – Breaking down polymers into monomers (e.g. TPA, MEG, BHET, DMT) through hydrolysis, glycolysis, or methanolysis.
  • Solvent Separation – Using chemical solvents to extract and purify fibres from blended textiles.
  • Enzymatic Recycling – Using bioengineered enzymes to selectively degrade polyester, nylon, and blended fibres.

Cellulose:

  • Viscose vs Lyocell pathways

Blended fibres:

  • Enzymatic Recycling – Using bioengineered enzymes to selectively degrade polyester, nylon, and blended fibres.Innovation & Market Opportunities:

  • Advanced Sorting & Pre-Processing – New AI-powered sorting systems and chemical pre-treatment to handle blended and contaminated textiles.
  • Sustainable Chemical Processes – Reducing energy-intensive methods and transitioning to low-impact, closed-loop recycling systems.
  • Scaling Textile-to-Textile Recycling – Moving away from bottle-derived polyester towards circular fashion solutions.

The report further explores the landscape of innovators, industry investments, and commercialisation strategies shaping the future of textile recycling.

Contents

  1. Introduction
    • The Need for Chemical Recycling in Fashion
    • Comparison: Mechanical vs. Chemical Recycling
  2. Chemical Recycling of Polyester (PET)
    • Depolymerisation & Solvent Processing
    • Challenges in Polyester Recycling
    • Industry Players & Emerging Technologies
  3. Chemical Recycling of Cellulose
    • MMCFs & Open-Loop Systems
    • Viscose vs. Lyocell Fibre Production
    • Market Challenges & Innovations
  4. Chemical Recycling of Fibre Blends
    • Polycotton & Synthetic Blends Recycling
    • Enzymatic Recycling as a Breakthrough Solution
  5. Industry Players & Market Landscape
    • Leading Innovators & Technology Providers