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Yarn made from recycled polyester, sourced from various complex PET-blend waste.

Implementation Date

March 11, 2025

By

Decathlon

City

Vénissieux

story image

Description

A few months ago, Recyc'Elit embarked on an ambitious journey to transform PET-blend waste into high-quality recycled polyester. The process began by depolymerizing complex textiles with varied compositions—polyester/elastane (9%), polyester/polyamide (12%), polyester/cotton (45%), and polyester/polyurethane (20–30%). Using our proprietary solvolysis technology, we efficiently broke down these diverse fabrics, extracting pure monomers. These monomers were then polymerized to form rPET pellets. The pellets underwent spinning and texturizing to create fibers that met the stringent standards of textile industrials. This breakthrough not only showcases our commitment to circularity in textiles but also paves the way for a future where textile waste becomes a valuable resource for the industry.

Impact & Result

Recyc'Elit's innovative solvolysis process efficiently recycles complex textile blends with substantial environmental benefits. Operating under mild conditions (below 60 °C, atmospheric pressure), it achieves excellent energy balance with a one-hour reaction time and saves 70% CO2 emissions compared to traditional chemical methods. Moreover, it recovers 85% of solvents—with a target of 95% and above—further reducing waste and environmental impact.

Solution Spotlight

Recyc'Elit offers a groundbreaking solution for recycling complex polyester blends in textiles, addressing one of the industry's most challenging waste streams. This innovative process effectively separates and recovers polyester from mixed-material fabrics that traditionally end up in landfills or are incinerated, including those containing elastane, cotton and other fibre combinations. Utilising a patented, low-impact chemical process, Recyc'Elit transforms these difficult-to-recycle textiles into high-quality recycled polyester that meets industry standards for new textiles production (closed-loop). Additionally, all co-materials are recovered and made ready for recycling in other streams. Thus, the solution is fully circular.

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The information set out above, is solely for the purposes of information and the Solar Impulse Foundation does not provide any guarantee as to its authenticity, completeness or accuracy. This information does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy into, transact or to enter into any agreement with any of the parties or persons mentioned above. Potential investors or interested parties are solely responsible for their investment or business decisions and for performing any due diligence required by the circumstances. The innovator has asserted ownership of the intellectual property rights for images, videos, and content showcased above, affirming full and unrestricted usage rights, and has provided explicit permission for the Solar Impulse Foundation to publish such information designated as "public" in the application form.