A groundbreaking chemical processing technique converts fabrics into reusable molecules, turning discarded garments into sustainable fashion opportunities.
Recycling has been a hot topic for many years. Across the globe, individuals are increasingly sorting their waste into designated recycling bins. While most people know where to dispose of items like cereal boxes, fabric recycling remains far less common. So, is textile recycling effective?
As the global population expands, so does the middle class, driving the growth of the fashion industry and the enormous amounts of waste it generates. Many garments are purchased as trendy items and discarded after only a few months or years. Today, less than 1% of textiles are recycled into new clothing, with most used garments ending up incinerated or in landfills. This has significant environmental consequences: over one-third of the microplastics in the ocean originate from textiles, and landfills are burdened with approximately 92 million tons of textile waste annually.
In addition, the fashion industry consumes enormous quantities of water and energy while emitting significant levels of greenhouse gases and chemical pollutants.
Multiple subunits link together to form a long polymer chain. Chemical formula and molecular model of the monomer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Source: Bacsica, Shutterstock.
Fabric Recycling Today
Fabrics are composed of threads woven together into a continuous sheet. Each thread is made up of numerous synthetic or natural fibers—or even blends of both—such as polyester, cotton, spandex (Lycra), and nylon. These fibers are composed of long molecular chains called polymers, a term derived from the Greek words poly (many) and mer (unit).
Polyester, one of the most common synthetic polymers, is widely used across various industries, especially in fashion. Polyesters are polymers built from monomer subunits linked by ester bonds—a chemical bond where an oxygen atom connects to a carbon that is double-bonded to another oxygen atom—hence the name “polyester”.
The most widely used polyester is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), accounting for 54% of global fiber production. In the clothing industry, PET is used to manufacture moisture-wicking garments like Dri-FIT, while in other sectors, it serves as a raw material for plastic bottles and food packaging.
Traditional recycling methods, which break waste down into raw materials, struggle to process textiles—especially those made of blended fibers. Standard mechanical recycling techniques can damage fabric, resulting in lower-quality materials that limit their potential for reuse. This challenge underscores the urgent need for innovative textile recycling methods.
A blend of natural and synthetic fibers: cotton (green) and polyester (orange). A poly-cotton fabric viewed under a microscope. Source: Power And Syred / Science Photo Library.
How We Can Recycle More Fabric
A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances has introduced a chemical processing technique capable of breaking down textiles into reusable molecules, regardless of their material composition. This innovative approach could revolutionize textile recycling and help address the waste crisis generated by the fashion industry. The process relies on microwave radiation and a common catalyst to break down synthetic polymers into recyclable building blocks.
The researchers tested the reaction on various fabric compositions, including 100% polyester, poly-cotton blends (50% cotton, 50% polyester), and mixtures containing other synthetic polymers such as nylon (polyamide) and spandex. They even experimented with textile waste of unknown composition. Remarkably, 90% of the polyester in pure polyester fabrics was successfully converted into its monomer subunits, which can be directly recycled into new textiles or other polyester products.
In blended fabrics, the process effectively broke down polyester and spandex while preserving the integrity of cotton and nylon fibers, maintaining their quality for reuse. However, in dyed polyester fabrics and garments treated for UV or fire resistance, certain additives interfered with the catalyst, leading to lower monomer yields—highlighting the need for further research to optimize the process.
Perhaps the most significant advantage of this new technique is its efficiency. Under optimal reaction conditions, the time required to break down textiles decreases from days to just 15 minutes, making the process highly cost-effective. In an interview with Nature, Dionisios Vlachos of the University of Delaware, the study’s lead author, mentioned that further optimization could potentially reduce the reaction time to mere seconds.
The researchers estimate that with further refinements, this method could enable the recycling of up to 88% of the world's clothing. This breakthrough underscores the importance of innovation in tackling environmental challenges, highlights science’s potential to transform waste into valuable resources, and paves the way for a more sustainable fashion industry.