Epson and HKRITA seek to accelerate the use of recycled fibres by establishing a technology to separate the fibres from hard-to-defibrate post-consumer fabrics.
Epson has sought to meet the growing global need for recycled fibres by using its proprietary Dry Fibre Technology to establish technology for defibrating hard-to-recycle fabrics and expand real-world fibre recycling.
To this end, Epson has entered into a joint development agreement with the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), an R&D centre specialising in developing innovative solutions for the textile, clothing, and fashion industries.
Spurred by a growing recognition of global environmental issues, a trend toward using recycled fibres from unwanted clothing has been gaining steam. This trend, particularly in countries moving to increase the ratio of recycled fibres used and limit the use of petroleum-derived synthetic fibres, has the potential to reshape the global textile industry.
A garnett machine has been commonly used in textile recycling to separate the fibres in waste material. However, garnetts cannot effectively separate the fibres of some of the most common textiles in the apparel market, such as tightly woven fabrics used for dress shirts and bed sheets and elastic blended fabrics used for functional clothing.
Epson has aimed to provide a new solution for recycling clothing fibres by entering into a joint development agreement with HKRITA. This will accelerate the use of recycled fibres by making it possible to separate fibres from challenging textiles such as functional clothing, sheets, and dress shirts, as well as from factory mill ends, unsold items of clothing, and unwanted apparel.
Dry Fibre Technology, independently developed by Epson, has been a game-changer in environmental sustainability. It enables the creation of new value from post-consumer paper, wood, clothing and other fibrous waste and used products. This technology will help mitigate environmental impact and resource circulation.
Established in Hong Kong in 2006, HKRITA has been engaged in applied research to support the textile and apparel industry, boost its overall competitiveness, drive sustainable improvements, and benefit society.
By providing one-stop services for applied research, technology transfer, and commercialisation, HKRITA sustains its efforts to promote successful projects for industry application.
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