Siptex sorting service

Textile waste handled in the Siptex plant:

• Textile from consumer

• Presorted post-consumer material, such as non-reusable garments

• Textile from industry 

• Pre-consumer material from industry, such as waste from production
• Post-consumer material from industry, such as worn out working clothes or material from laundries

Textile waste for sorting

ReFab® recycling products

Sysav ReFab®, quality-assured recycling products with guaranteed fiber composition and color, adapted for various recycling processes. Examples of products:

• Cotton (of specific purity and color)
• Wool (of specific purity and color)
• Polyester (of specific purity and color)
• Viscose (of specific purity and color)
• Polyamid (of specific purity and color)
• Acrylic (of specific purity and color)
• Customized products: the plant can sort out fiber compositions tailored to the customer's requirements

Contact us for more information

Chemical recycling

Chemical recycling means that the fibers in the textiles are broken down with the help of chemicals and then reunited through other processes. The new fibers can then be spun into new thread or become another material. The result is a high-quality material, which means that virgin fibers do not have to be added for the recycled material to have the same area of ​​use as the original fiber.

An area in strong development

There are various chemical processes for this type of recycling, and much research is being done in this area. Textiles often consist of mixed materials, and then several techniques must be used. Simplified, it can be said that cotton fibers and cellulose-based synthetic fibers (viscose, lyocell, modal) dissolve, and synthetic polymer fibers (polyamide, polyester, polyurethane and acrylic) are melted down. In Sweden, there are a couple of facilities that recycle on a larger scale, including Renewcell. Chemical processes place specific demands on fiber content, therefore Siptex is expected to contribute primarily to this type of recycling.

Mechanical recycling

Mechanical recycling means that the textiles are cut, torn and carded into an even fiber mass. This category also sometimes includes smelting processes that can be used to make new fibers from certain synthetic materials; since only heat is required in this method, it is considered mechanical. Molten plastic raw material is pressed out through a nozzle and forms fibers, so-called melt spinning.

Shorter fibers

Through mechanical recycling, the textile fibers are weakened and shortened, which gives a poorer result compared to chemical recycling methods. This means that textiles recycled through mechanical processes need to be mixed with virgin fibers to have sufficient quality to be used for, for example, clothing manufacturing.

Low-value recycling

Low-value recycling, also called downcycling, means that a material becomes a product of lower value than the original.

Textiles are used today, among other things, as rags, insulation and upholstery in car seats and noise barriers. How much environmental benefit this type of recycling has depends on the material that is replaced.

New markets for secondary textile raw material

Textile fiber as a secondary raw material could replace virgin material in many industries, not just the textile sector. Siptex will help to identify new markets and areas of use also for sorting residues. Textiles can, for example, be used as composite materials and become furniture and hangers.