Sorting Landscape
This report explores the current state of textile sorting, highlighting the limitations of manual processes and the need for innovative technologies. It examines policy landscapes across the European Union, United States, and India, while also showcasing advancements in spectroscopic, artificial intelligence, and digital product passport-based sorting solutions. The document further presents foundational projects aimed at enhancing circularity in textile waste management.
Introduction & Key Terms
The textile industry faces significant challenges in sorting post-consumer waste due to reliance on manual processes, lack of standardised information flows, and inadequate infrastructure for circularity. Current sorting systems primarily support reuse rather than recycling, with high labour costs and low economic incentives for recyclers.
Key words/phrases:
- Textile sorting
- Circular economy
- Spectroscopic technologies
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Digital product passports
- Fibre-to-fibre recycling
- Policy landscape
- Sorting for Circularity projects
Contents
- Overview
- Flow of textiles and information
- Need for innovative sorting technologies
- Policy Landscape
- European Union
- United States
- India
- Innovation Landscape
- Spectroscopic technologies
- Information-based and circularity tools
- AI-based technologies
- Waste mapping platforms
- FFG Foundational Projects
- Sorting for Circularity Europe
- Sorting for Circularity India
- Sorting for Circularity USA
