One of the biggest obstacles in recycling garments within a circular economy stems from the use of poly-cotton yarns. While polymers and cotton can be processed circularly using different methods, when combined they require separation to be recycled.
While chemical solutions are slowly achieving success, the Norwegian startup Pineapple Production presents the textile industry with a remarkable new technology which combines the qualities of blended yarn with the recyclability of monofibre textiles.
Pineapple Production: Unlocking Blended Fibres in a Circular System
In a world with finite resources, there is no long-term solution outside of a circular loop. The uniform sector holds a unique chance to pursue this goal in comparison to retail, as closed reverse logistics is a huge challenge within the consumer market.
The Norwegian startup offers a systematic circular approach to textile brands and manufacturers. They observed that there were missing physical links within the circular value chain, and took the initiative to create those valuable connections as a lifecycle management business. The key to Pineapple Production’s service is its protocol which allows them to efficiently take care of textile waste.
Dualcycle weaving
The entire textile industry is based on blending different fibres intimately at the yarn level, but many recycling technologies depend on using just one fibre type which makes it difficult to recycle these blends. The issue is, a mono-fibre approach limits durability, comfort, and protection for workers who are spending their day in the clothing supplied by their employer.
In response to these challenges, Pineapple Production codeveloped a new thread for Climatex’s dualcycle process which allows any two yarns to be locked and unlocked by a third yarn, allowing them to fully disassemble fabrics and garments into their constituent materials. This assembly system allows better durability, higher comfort, and a clear track for circularity at end-of-life.
Turning circularity into reality
Increasing longevity is a primary method to reduce the environmental impact a garment has, and this technology restores the potential for durability by allowing the use of different fibres without sacrificing recyclability. Buyers should also explore the lifecycle cost of their products in addition to the unit cost. If a product lasts longer, it will not only reduce its impact on the environment but also on budgets.
While many materials are theoretically circular, suppliers often leave it to the industry to find workable recycling solutions. In Pineapple Production’s view, however, the industry is not a vague entity one can rely on to solve problems, so the company took action to become that player. Their solution relies on one simple fact; the cleaner the waste feedstock, the better the recycling process. By plugging these missing links in the textile value chain, recycling facilities can receive that clean feedstock.
Pineapple Production’s solution offers :
- The detoxification of input materials
- Dualcycle technology, enabling a recyclable blending of different fibre types in fabrics
- Garment design support
- Automated disassembly of textile hybrids
- Industrial textile composting for cotton, wool, and man-made cellulosic fibres
Pineapple Production’s approach to circularity is to do what is necessary to close the loop and build the infrastructure the industry needs. Dualcycle technology puts sustainable options back into the hands of the brands creating uniform systems for the market.
One step at a time with Pineapple Production
Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet in sustainability, and resetting the way we design textile products requires hard work. That’s why Pineapple Production approaches uniform suppliers with an understanding of where they are in their journey, helping them identify the easiest changes they can make today.
The company provides thought leadership within the design of uniform systems, highlighting how materials can be re-evaluated from a functional perspective to make them fit more easily into a circular system. The ultimate key is to control the inputs in textile products and to reimagine how fabrics are designed.
While multiple circularity projects over the past 5 years have shown that circularity is possible, Pineapple Production has taken that important responsibility to become the go-to collaborator for any company wanting to outsource the development of their circular processing system.
Contact : Pineapple Production
Website: https://www.pineappleproduction.no/
Email: contact@pineappleproduction.no
