Synthetic fibres recycled polyester

This process is used to recycle fabrics made from natural fibres such as cotton and wool as well as synthetic fibres including polyesters, nylons and blended fibres. Hawley (2006) describes the mechanical processing technique used in facilities in Prato, Italy, where acrylic textiles are shredded down to fibre. In hw example, acrylic garments were sorted and cut up, mechanically shredded to fibre, and then re-spun into acrylic yam for weaving into blanketing (Hawley, 2006). 

A. M. CunUffe and P. T. Williams, Characterisation of products from the recycling of glass fibre reinforced polyester waste by pyrolysis. Fuel, 82, 2223-2230, (2003). J. H. Harker and J. R. Backhurst, Fuel and Energy, Academic Press London, 1981. A. C. Albertson and S. Karlsson, Polyethylene degradation products, In Agricultural and Synthetic Polymers, ACS Symposium Series 433, J. E. Glass and G. Swift (eds), American Chemical Society, Washington DC, 60-64, 1990. 

CMC and water dispensible polyester based size materials are also used for sizing of synthetic fibre materials. They are insoluble in acidic form and soluble in the presence of dilute alkali and can be removed from the fabric at about 60 C. They are, however, precipitated in presence of metal ions in the washing bath and hence the addition of chelating agent is recommended to nullify its effect. Synthetic detergents of either anionic or non-ionic type may be used to remove the polyester size from the fabric. The CMC can be reclaimed, recycled and reapplied from other size material. 

Within this area, nonwovens find application as internal product components, such as support and cover materials for mattresses as well foam replacements. As discussed, bonded polyester wadding (used in low stress applications), thermally bonded nonwovens, and nonwovens laminated with woven or knitted fabrics to provide covers with high dimensional stability are used in the production of foam-backed mattresses for upholstery as support and cover materials. Needled waddings and paddings are incorporated into furniture as insulation and comfort layers. Fibres used for such applications include recycled natural and synthetic fibres obtained from waste clothing, bast fibres, cotton, and virgin synthetic fibres, such as PET, PP, and acrylic (Anand et al., 2007, p. 253). 

Biological CLR refers to fibres that can be safely composted at end of fife to return nutrients to the soil. Technical CLR refers to the synthetic products that are not biodegradable. In textiles, this is frequently the synthetic polymer-based fibres such as polyester, acrylic and nylon. Blending of the two kinds of streams is referred to by McDonough and Braungart (2002) as a monstrous hybrid , meaning that the two kinds of waste streams cannot be effectively separated for ease of recycling. In the apparel context, monstrous hybrids abound in the form of cotton/polyester, or viscose/polyester, or cotton and spandex blends. 

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