Innovative Textile Recycling in Malmö

Outline of the Project:

• Automated textile sorting using near-infrared and visual spectroscopy
• Sort mixed textile wastes according to fiber composition and color matching market demands
• Fiber-to-fiber recycling and creating functioning markets for high-quality recycling products
• Phase 3 will see the development of, an industrial scale facility in Malmö
• Partners include IKEA, H&M, Gina Tricot, City of Malmö, Berendsen and City of Gothenburg.

What stage is the initiative currently at?

• A pilot facility operated for the period 2016-2018
• A network of stakeholders has been established
• Public information campaigns have been carried out
• Sysav, the publicly owned South Scania Waste Company, has taken the decision to invest in an industrial scale facility
• Operations are planned to start in the summer of 2020 with a yearly capacity of 16,000 tons and seven operators in two shifts

Key learnings:

• It can be done!
• Need to include both ends of the value-chain
• Public companies can take lead

Key challenges:

• Infrastructure, such as collection bins, needs to change
• Consumer behaviour; it’s a big difference leaving your old milk containers or your old underwear!
• Pre-sorting; for the consumer the best solution is to throw everything in the same bin, both textiles to be recycled and textiles to be reused. Pre-sorting is still manual

How long has the project been operational: A pilot started 2016, operations are due to commence summer 2020.