Cotton Recycling
Recycling
cotton prevents unnecessary waste and maybe a more sustainable alternative for
disposal. Recycled cotton can come from secondhand clothing or from textile
waste or residue which is later spun into new yarn and cloth. Recycled cotton
has some notable limitations, including separating the components of the cotton/polyester blend. There is also a limit to the durability of recycled cotton.
It can be recycled from pre-consumer and post-consumer cotton waste.
Pre-consumer waste comes from any additional material produced during the
production of yarn, fabrics, and textile products, such as selvage from weaving
and remnant from factory cutting rooms. Post-consumer waste comes from
discarded textile products, such as used clothing and household textiles.
During the recycling process, cotton waste is first sorted by type and color
and then processed by stripping machines that cut the yarn and fabric into
small pieces before separating the fibers. The mixture is carded several times
to clean and blend the fibers before making new yarn.
As a result, the staple fiber is shorter than the length of the main fiber, which means it is more difficult to rotate. Recycled cotton is therefore often mixed with virgin cotton fibers to improve yarn strength. Generally, no more than 30% recycled cotton material is used in the finished yarn or fabric. Since waste cotton is often already dyed, re-dyeing may not be necessary. Cotton is a highly resource-intensive crop for water, pesticides, and insecticides. This means that the use of recycled cotton can significantly save natural resources and reduce pollution from agriculture. One ton of cotton recycling can save 765 cubic meters of water.
Recycling cotton advantages
i.
Cotton recycling can be used for insulation, and rags of stuffing where it appears
with a new life cycle.
ii.
The recycling process prevents unwanted waste which can remove many products
from the landfill. According to the Textile Recycling Council, annual textile
waste is estimated at about 25 billion pounds.
iii.
Since it is already colored, there is no need for color after reuse
iv.
The use of energy, water, and dyes has decreased because recycled cotton yarns
are usually obtained from pre-consumer textiles which are sorted by color.
v.
Reduce emissions of CO2 and other fossil fuels.
Disadvantages of recycled cotton
i.
Although recycled cotton is durable, it has some problems with longevity as it
is a natural fabric - it does not tear, or scratch.
ii.
Cotton does not have high elasticity compared to other yarns.
iii.
Cotton is often expensive due to the resources required for production.
iv.
Cotton is not environmentally resistant unless it is mixed with other yarns.
100% cotton is prone to environmental damage due to moisture; Such as mold and
fungus.
v.
It has low wrinkle, heat, and chemical resistance.
vi.
Having separate color and fabric combinations can be a labor-intensive process.
0 Comments