21/08/2024
The SolTex Project
The textile industry generates 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and uses a staggering 2700 liters of water per cotton shirt. On top of that, 92 million tons of textile waste is produced annually, with only 1% being recycled. Legislative and technological initiatives worldwide are tackling this issue. In Europe, the EU directive 2018/851 aims for separate collection and recycling by 2025. SolTex focuses on sustainable textile recycling, specifically solvent recovery and reuse, with a spotlight on dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). By leveraging membrane technology, SolTex aims to revolutionize DMSO recycling in the textile industry. SolTex aims to identify the optimal membrane and process, conduct Proof of Concept at an intermediate scale, and perform a valuable Techno-Economic Evaluation to define next steps for piloting and upscaling. After rigorous testing, SolTex has made strides, recycling at least 90% of the solvent economically.
