When our garments can no longer be reused or repurposed, they must be recycled in order to keep them out of the landfill or incineration. Until recently, textiles could only be recycled mechanically through a shredding machine, the results of which (at best) could only be down-cycled into other textile applications such as under-padding, acoustic panels or insulation. In recent years, innovators have made garment to garment recycling a reality – through various hydrothermal and chemical processes – which in some cases are being piloted by fashion brands. In this session, we will learn from some of the leading recycling innovators as they: help us make sense of the science and technology behind their process; explain how each of them are tackling the problem from a unique perspective; and what is needed in order for garment to garment recycling to scale and become widely adopted by the industry.
