A Novel Method and System for Decolourisation of PET from Post-Consumer Textiles

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This chemical-free and waterless treatment method has been developed to improve the durability and longevity of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) textiles. This technology enables PET textiles to be reused multiple times by conducting the process at 230oC for 8 hours, which results in a 200% increase in molecular weight and more than 98% decolourisation in one off. It allows PET fibres to be reused, recycled and redyed in a simple and inexpensive way by achieving decolourisation, molecular weight enhancement and durability improvement simultaneously in the textile treatment. 

Application

With an over 90 % reduction of colour intensity (K/S value), the approach is effective in decolouring PET textiles. These textiles can then be re-dyed and reused to make new garments, which has the great advantage of helping the textile industry to improve its sustainability by minimising the demand for virgin fibres.
Industry Benefit

The new method prolongs the life of PET material in a sustainable way as they can be reused after decolourisation and be made new garment. It alleviates the need for virgin materials in textile production and drives the growth of textile recycling market.
Technological Breakthrough

The decolourisation approach is a physical process and involves no chemical reactions.

The cost of the dye adsorbents is low relative to that of current decoloring chemical agents. This standalone column used for decolourisation also allows easy replacement of the packed adsorbents.

The approach can reduce colour intensity significantly and can be effective in decoloring PET textiles in the form of fibre, yarn, fabric or garment.
Awards
47th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (2019) - Silver Medal
Project Name (ITF)
Materials and Systems for Decolorization of PET from Post-consumer Textile
Project Number (ITF)
ITP/048/18TP